Typhoon Yolanda now a category 5 storm as it heads straight to the Central Philippines
The very powerful super-typhoon, Yolanda (International name: Haiyan) is on a collision course with the Eastern Visayas area of the Philippines packing maximum sustained winds of 215 kph, with gusts up to 250 kph, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) update earlier this morning.

Typhoon Yolanda map
Image/PAGASA
The weather agency says the typhoon is 135 km southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar as of 2 am, November 8(Philippines time).
It is forecast to move west-northwest at 33 kph and make landfall in the Eastern Visayas Friday morning.
The storm is so large in diameter that clouds from it are affecting two-thirds of the country.
“Let me repeat myself: This is a very real danger, and we can mitigate and lessen its effects if we use the information available to prepare,” he said.
Typhoon Yolanda comes just over three weeks after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the Visayan island of Bohol killing hundreds.