Bay travellers caught up in Hurricane Irma

This photo shows storm damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in St. Maarten as it cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean. Photo/File

A Tauranga travel agent is waiting on news to confirm a Western Bay of Plenty customer who has this week arrived in Cuba, which is in the path of the devastating Hurricane Irma.

The category five hurricane has swept through the Caribbean islands, heading for Florida, killing at least 14 people, with numbers potentially growing.

One Tauranga travel agent said they had a client who would have arrived in Cuba on Wednesday, and another agency confirmed they had at least one client staying in Florida.

United Travel 11th Avenue managing director Kay Rogers said her client, a Katikati woman in her late 20s, would have arrived in Havana, Cuba three days ago.

Ms Rogers said she had received a phone call from the client's parents who were naturally feeling anxious until they received news their daughter was safe.

The woman had planned to travel around Cuba for three weeks with an adventure tour group but Ms Rogers was yet to hear from her.

"I'm sure given it's a reputable company and the group had plenty of advance warning they would have all headed inland as soon as possible," she said.

A former Tauranga couple - former deputy Tauranga Harbourmaster Chris Isherwood and former health and safety training officer for Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard Donna Bennett - who moved to Vieques last year, are also believed to have been caught up in Hurrican Irma.

Vieques is between the Caribbean main island of San Juan and the British Virgin Islands.

Tauranga Coastguard's operations unit manager Steve Russell said the last contact he had with Ms Bennett was an email he received from her on September 4.

However, he was aware Ms Bennett had been interviewed by the BBC a couple of days ago.

Mr Russell said Ms Bennett and her partner had been house sitting on the island, and she had kept in regular contact via her monthly newsletter.

"It's concerning we haven't heard from Donna in a few days but it's also not surprising given what's happening over there, and we all hope she and Chris are safe," he said.

A total of 135 Kiwis had registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as being in areas in the path of Hurricane Irma.

Helloworld Tauranga consultant Sue Holmes said she had a couple in Florida whose insurance company had phoned to check the rules about changing flights.

Ms Holmes said the couple had not been in direct contact.

The Hurricane Irma fury comes just days after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, where there were 65 Kiwis registered with TravelSafe.

Flight Centre Bethlehem team leader Lynley Baker said the agency had no clients in the Caribbean, nor in Florida or heading there.

But four clients had to be rerouted as a result of Hurricane Harvey and another four had to make alternative travel plans, she said.

-additional reporting AAP