Super Typhoon Haiyan — one of the most powerful storms in recorded world history — made landfall early Friday morning local time near Guiuan, a small city on the Philippine island of Samar.
Although the storm weakened slightly as it moved across the central Philippines on Friday, it remains a powerful and dangerous storm with maximum winds of 166 miles per hour, according to the AFP, citing the US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
Haiyan is forecast to leave Philippines on Saturday and move out to the South China Sea, where it could pick up strength before it hits Vietnam and Laos, Reuters reports.
Nearly 750,000 people were evacuated from their homes on Thursday ahead of the storm, but millions have been affected. The map below charts the Philippines' population density against Super Typhoon Haiyan's track.
The storm came ashore at peak strength — with winds of 190 to 195 miles per hour — making it the world's strongest storm to ever hit land, according to meteorologist Jeff Masters.
At least three people have been confirmed dead in the storm's wake.
After hitting the central islands of Leyte and Samar, the storm slashed the northern tip of Cebu province — affecting 2.5 million people in Cebu city — and continued to track northwest toward Boracay island, Reuters reports.
The central island of Bohol, which was devastated by a 7.1-magnitude earthquake in October, was also in the storm's path.
SEE ALSO: Jaw-Dropping Images Of The Super Typhoon Heading For The Phillipines