Philippines braces for Typhoon Haiyan

Authorities in the Philippines are bracing themselves for the arrival of Typhoon Haiyan, which is expected to strike central parts of the country on Friday.

Haiyan, a category five storm, is moving towards the South East Asian nation with winds of up to 278 km/h (173mph).

Some schools have already been closed and evacuations are under way in some areas.

Ferry operations have been suspended and fishing boats ordered back to port.

Typhoon Haiyan is expected to make landfall around noon on Friday between the islands of Samar and Leyte.

It is predicted to hit central areas already struggling to recover from a 7.3-magnitude earthquake last month, including the worst-hit island of Bohol.

Around 5,000 people are still living in tents in Bohol after losing their homes in the quake.

Meteorologists in the Philippines warned that Haiyan could be as devastating as Typhoon Botha in 2012.

Botha devastated parts of the southern Philippines, leaving at least 1,000 people dead and causing more than $1bn (€739m) in damage.

 "This is a very dangerous typhoon, local officials know where the vulnerable areas are and have given instructions on evacuations," state weather forecaster Glaiza Escullar told AFP.

"There are not too many mountains on its path to deflect the force of impact, making it more dangerous."

Haiyan is the 25th typhoon to enter Philippines territory this year.