菲律賓準備應對強颱風

A powerful typhoon is taking aim at the central Philippines, where thousands of residents have heeded government warnings to evacuate.

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Typhoon Haiyan already has wind gusts of up to 250 kilometers per hour and is expected to strengthen further before making landfall Friday.

Residents, such as Grace Macion, say they will not be taken by surprise by the storm, which is expected to be the region's strongest this year.

Forecasters expect Haiyan to bring heavy rains and powerful winds as it passes the central islands, some of which are still recovering from last month's deadly 7.2-magnitude earthquake.

Authorities have suspended ferry operations and told fishing boats to seek shelter. Army troops are also on standby to distribute emergency supplies.強烈颱風正向菲律賓中部移動，數以千計的居民聽從政府警告已經撤離。

颱風海燕的陣風風速已經高達每小時250公里，在週五登陸可能會前進一步加強。

格雷斯.梅西恩和其他當地居民說，這場颱風不會讓他們措手不及，本次颱風有望成爲該地區今年最強的風暴。

氣象預報預計颱風海燕在經過中部島嶼時將帶來暴雨和強風，其中一些島嶼仍在從上個月造成人員傷亡的7.2級地震災害的恢復當中。

當局已經暫停渡輪業務並告誡漁船尋求庇護。軍隊也隨時待命，準備分發應急物資。