Typhoon Haiyan has battered the Philippines, killing at least four people and forcing millions of people to flee to safer ground.
Reuters reports a senior official in the central city of Tacloban as saying that bodies are lying in the streets.
Haiyan, possibly the strongest storm ever to hit land, has flattened houses, triggered landslides and floods and knocked out power and communications across a number of islands.
A CNN correspondent who has made it into Tacloban says she has seen several cars crushed and turned over, a tremendous amount of debris with wood everywhere, and a lot of residents wandering around looking dazed and not sure what they should be doing.
Haiyan is next expected to make landfall in central Vietnam around midday local time on Sunday.
Haiyan, known as Yolanda in the Philippines, made landfall into the central island of Samar at 4.40am local time on Friday, with winds of up to 315km/h, causing widespread damage.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Manila says there are reports of widespread damage.
''We've heard reports of storm surges as high as the second storey of houses," said spokesperson David Carden.
Communications and power are down in several provinces.
"The response is hampered by the fact airports, seaports are damaged," Mr Carden said.
Mr Carden says there is a shortage of basic supplies in affected provinces.
"The government of the Philippines has prepositioned food, and some supplies in the area. However, there is a shortage of shelter and other essential items."
The ABC reports there is particular concern about the city of Guiuan, with a population of 47,000, which was the first in line when Haiyan made landfall.
Amateur video has shown flooded streets caused both by heavy rain and a storm surge that was predicted to be up to seven metres high.
The World Food Programme estimates at least 2.5 million of the people forced to flee one of the strongest storms ever recorded are already in need of food.
Both China and Vietnam are on alert.
It is the 25th tropical storm to enter Philippine territory this year, and is forecast to go into South China Sea, tracking towards Vietnam and Laos.
