Several killed in Philippines super typhoon

At least three people have been killed as the world's strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded at landfall, slammed into the Philippines, the government said.

Two people were electrocuted by power lines toppled by the cyclone while a third victim was struck by lightning, a spokesperson for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council told the AFP news agency on Friday.

Of the seven injured, one was hurt in the lightning incident, while the rest were struck by falling objects, he told a news conference.

"There will be catastrophic damage,'' said Jeff Masters, a former hurricane meteorologist who is meteorology director at the private firm Weather Underground.

The US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii shortly before landfall said Typhoon Haiyan's maximum sustained winds were 314 kilometres per hour, with gusts up to 379kph.

"There aren't too many buildings constructed that can withstand that kind of wind,'' Masters said.

The local weather bureau had a lower reading, saying the storm's speed at landfall had sustained winds at 234kph, with gusts of 275kph. The bureau takes measures based on longer periods of time.

Thousands of people have been evacuated villages in the country's central regions, including a province devastated by an earthquake last month.

The typhoon intensified and accelerated on Thursday as it moved closer to the country, with sustained winds of 225kph, and is expected to hit the eastern province of Samar early Friday, government forecaster Buddy Javier said.