The country is hunkering down and more than 100,000 people have been evacuated from their homes as fierce winds of up to 315 kilometres an hour batter the archipelago.
The typhoon, known locally as Yolanda, is expected to be the world's biggest this year and Philippine authorities are bracing for widespread damage, and possibly more deaths.
SBS reporter Kathy Novak is in the Philippines capital of Manila.
She told Darren Mara the typhoon has knocked out communications with some parts of the country.
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