Oxfam NZ ready to assist Philippines

typhoon Koppu's caused continuous rain on October 18, 2015. Photo / Getty

Charity Oxfam NZ is ready to send "rapid assessment teams" to storm battered regions of the Philippines if international help is required.

Typhoon Koppu has struck northern regions of the country, displacing thousands and leaving at least two people dead, according to international media reports.

Oxfam last night confirmed it was ready to help.

Its executive director Rachael Le Mesurier said the number one priority in responding to the disaster was determining the impact of the storm and which areas had been hit hardest.

"The Philippines have suffered yet another blow, with Typhoon Koppu making landfall [yesterday] morning," she said.

"Our rapid assessment teams are ready to deploy if needed to survey the scale of the damage and respond to immediate needs.

"Oxfam has vehicles on standby and contingency stocks in place including bladder tanks to provide clean water if needed."

The typhoon, known locally as Lando, struck the north-east province of Aurora, pummelling the coastal region that is home to more than 200,000 people with wind gusts of up to 195 km/h.

Forecasts predict the storm to sit over the country for up to three days and the Philippines government has evacuated at risk people as floods and sea surges are likely.

So far this year the Philippines has been hit by more than 15 typhoons.

Two years ago, 6300 people were killed and four million were forced from their homes in Typhoon Haiyan.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said it had received no requests for consular assistance as a result of the typhoon.

He said 171 Kiwis were registered as being in the Philippines.