Millions of people in the Philippines were ordered on Wednesday to prepare for one of the strongest typhoons to ever hit the disaster-battered country, with authorities warning of giant storm surges and destructive winds.

Super Typhoon Haima was forecast to hit remote communities in the far north of the country about 11 pm on Wednesday, bringing winds almost on a par with catastrophic Super Typhoon Haiyan that claimed more than 7,350 lives in 2013.

"It's not just heavy rain and strong winds that we are expecting. It's also floods, landslides and storm surges in coastal areas. Those in these areas, you are in danger," said Allan Tabel, chief of the interior ministry's disaster and information coordinating center.