Tourists rush to leave a popular beach resort in the typhoon's path The storm is forecast to make landfall in the Eastern Visayas region Friday People left homeless by a quake on Bohol island are among the most vulnerable Are you in the affected area? Send us images and video but do please stay safe. With sustained winds of 305 kph (190 mph) and gusts as strong as 370 kph (230 mph), Super Typhoon Haiyan was churning across the Western Pacific toward the central Philippines as one of the most intense tropical cyclones ever recorded. Its wind strength makes it equivalent to an exceptionally strong Category 5 hurricane. The storm, known as Yolanda in the Philippines, is expected to still be a super typhoon, with winds in excess of 240 kph (149 mph), when it makes landfall Friday morning in the region of Eastern Visayas. The storm is so large in diameter that clouds from it are affecting two-thirds of the country. Authorities in the region had moved more than 3,800 people to evacuation centers by late Thursday, Maj. Reynaldo Balido of the Philippine Office of Civil Defense said. iReport: Heavy rains as Philippines braces for typhoon In a speech Thursday, President Benigno S. Aquino III warned residents of the "calamity our countrymen will face in these coming days." "Let me repeat myself: This is a very real danger, and we can mitigate and lessen its effects if we use the information available to prepare," he said. The government has three C-130 cargo aircraft ready to respond, as well as 32 planes and helicopters from the air force, the president said. Officials have placed relief supplies in the areas that are expected to get hit, Aquino said. "The effects of this storm can be eased through solidarity," he said. The Philippine weather agency, Pagasa, warned more than 30 provinces across the country Thursday to be prepared for possible flash floods and landslides. Schools in many areas canceled classes, emergency services were put on high alert, and airlines canceled flights. Beach resort threatened Another island in the storm's likely trajectory is the popular beach resort of Boracay. Some tourists there were cutting their vacations short to get away from the possible danger. Ross Evans, an aviation professional from Florida, said there was "a definite urgency and panic" among the long lines of holidaymakers waiting for boats to get off Boracay on Thursday. Speaking by phone before his flight to Manila took off, he said he felt "horrible" for those who may end up stuck in the storm's path. Evans said he and his travel companions, who are leaving the Philippines two days earlier than planned, "feel very fortunate to have the ability to make arrangements to be safe." In February: Two months on, Typhoon Bopha's victims still homeless CNN's Judy Kwon, Taylor Ward, Ivan Cabrera and Mari Ramos contributed to this report.