A plane carrying humanitarian aid from the UK has arrived in the Philippines.
It landed at midnight local time (16:00 GMT), carrying almost 9,000 shelter kits for families made homeless by Friday's devastating typhoon.
The UK is also sending an emergency team of 12 medical staff at the request of the Philippine Department of Health.
The stricken country's president has said the estimated death toll of 10,000 was too high, but the UN estimates 11 million have been affected in some way.
President Benigno Aquino says the number of people killed is more likely to be up to 2,500.
More than half a million people have been displaced.
The UK kits that arrived at Cebu airport contain plastic sheeting, rope and rope tensioners.
They were flown to the Philippines from UK stores in Dubai.
Officials from the Department for International Development (DfID) said each kit would keep a family of five sheltered.
It will be down to charity World Vision - one of 14 aid organisations that make up the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) - to distribute the kits.
Continue reading the main storyThe other charities are Action Aid, Age International, British Red Cross, Cafod, Care International, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Plan UK, Save the Children and Tearfund.
While several countries have deployed ships and aircraft to help, many people are still without food, water and shelter.
Aid agencies have warned the security situation is deteriorating and there are reports of looting, as those preparing to enter the disaster zone face logistical hold-ups.
The Philippines government says:
- 1,833 people are confirmed dead
- 2,623 are injured
- 6.9 million people affected
- 582,303 people displaced from their homes
- 80,047 houses confirmed destroyed
Source: National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
"There's a lot of work going on behind the scenes to make sure that when we're bringing aircraft in, they're the right aircraft, that the runway can accommodate them, that there's things like fuel so we can get them back out there," said Claire, from the British Red Cross.
"If we try and rush in too quickly, without any of this pre-planning, then we're going to have massive bottlenecks where aircraft are stuck on the ground and that's not going to help anyone."
John Cordell, from the charity ShelterBox, which is delivering emergency shelters and supplies, added: "It sounds as though the security conditions are getting a little bit worse. There've been reports of attacks on food convoys and looting of aid.
"I think that is deterring a lot of aid agencies from getting in there."
Airport damagedDEC chairman Salah Saeed likened the destruction in the city of Tacloban, which was particularly badly hit, to that seen after the devastating tsunami of 2004.
"There is currently no food, water or electricity. We can only imagine how much worse the situation will be for families living in towns and remote villages," he said.
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Professor Anthony Redmond, head of the UK government's aid team, says he will work with a "network" of agencies
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said the 12-strong UK medical team consisted of "volunteer surgeons, doctors and paramedics who are expert at operating in emergency situations such as this".
The team will be led by professor of international emergency medicine Anthony Redmond, of Manchester University.
Later Ms Greening is due to host a meeting to discuss the international response to the ongoing disaster.
She will be joined in person or via video link by representatives from UN agencies, donors and other organisations.
The meeting is expected to focus particularly on how to help women and girls affected by what the Philippine president declared a national calamity earlier this week.
Meanwhile, British ship HMS Daring, a Type-45 destroyer deployed near Singapore, is due to arrive at the disaster area on Saturday.
The ship's captain, Angus Essenhigh, told the BBC its mission would be to provide "life-saving assistance" such as water, shelter and food.
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The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal to help survivors of Typhoon Haiyan
A DEC appeal was broadcast on Tuesday evening, and the committee said £1.5m had been donated so far.
The UK government, which has already pledged £10m in aid, said it would match donations to the appeal pound for pound up to £5m.
It said its overall contribution would help to get food, aid and shelter to a total of 800,000 people.
The UN has launched an appeal for $301m (£190m) to help relief efforts in typhoon-hit areas.
- To donate to the DEC appeal, people can visit the committee's website
- Call 0370 60 60 900
- Send a cheque made payable to DEC Philippines Typhoon Appeal to PO Box 999, London EC3A 3AA
- To donate £5 you can text HELP to 70000. Texts cost £5 and the whole £5 will go to the DEC Philippines Typhoon Appeal. You must be over 16 and ask the bill payers permission. For terms, conditions and full information go to dec.org.uk
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