Nide Sergi hasn't heard from her parents and three sisters who all live in Palom Pon on the island of Leyte where an estimated 10,000 are feared dead but a relative stranger from Germany sent her an uplifting message yesterday.

The German ladies' parents are friends with Mrs Sergi's parents, who said they are alive and well.

"I can't know for sure that they are safe, but I have no reason to doubt this lady, who I faintly remember from a long time ago when we both lived in the Philippines," Mrs Sergi said.

"All I want is to hear the voices of my parents, my three sisters and nieces and nephews, so I know they're all right.

"We're trying to ring everywhere in the area, but none of the calls are getting through.

"We have made contact with someone else in the area through Facebook who told us there is no food and no water."

The tropical cyclone hit the Philippines on Friday with winds of up to 315km/h reportedly tossing ships hundreds of metres inland and laying waste to everything in its path.

“We have heard that 95 per cent of the island is homeless and the remaining five per cent is roofless,” Mrs Sergi said.

“We’ve been trying to call the 1300 number from Australia, but it takes a very long time to get through because so many people are calling.

“I am really sad at the moment, this is a terrible situation.”

Nide Sergi’s daughter Jini Sibbick has teamed up with Catholic priest, Father Neru, to send a shipping container of goods across to the Philippines.

The pair will be at Ritchies IGA in Griffith Central all day today accepting donations of bedding, clothes, tinned food, water, tents and other goods appropriate for disaster relief which will be packed and shipped from Casella Wines.

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said Australia was sending $390,000 worth of emergency supplies including mosquito nets, blankets and medical kits.