Hurricane Irma: Travel advice if you have flight or holiday booked to affected areas

“With Thomas Cook you can cancel and get a refund, whilst British Airways and Virgin will allow you to postpone your trip and rebook.”

Hurricane Irma is currently moving off the Dominican Republic, according to the new update from the NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC).

The 5am EDT update, from the NHC, said the eye of category 5 hurricane is moving west-northwestward off the northeast of the Dominican Republic.

The NHC said: “On the forecast track, the center should pass north of the coast of Hispaniola later today, be near the Turks and Caicos and southeastern Bahamas by this evening, and then be near the Central Bahamas by Friday.”

Speaking about the threat the Caribbean, the NHC said: “Irma is a potentially catastrophic category 5 hurricane and will bring life-threatening wind, storm surge, and rainfall hazards to the northern coast of Hispaniola today, and the Turks and Caicos and southeastern and central Bahamas tonight and Friday.

“Hurricane watches are in effect for the northwestern Bahamas and much of Cuba. Irma is likely to bring dangerous wind, storm surge, and rainfall to portions of these areas on Friday and Saturday.”

A Delta plane hit the headlines after flying into the category 5 storm before managing to land safely in Puerto Rico.