But they are unable to reach Britons on the Bay Islands, north of Honduras, who have been trapped for two days.

All telephone communications with the islands, Roatan, Utila and Guanaja have been cut off, but ham radio reports have spoken of severe damage.

"The hurricane has destroyed almost everything," said Mike Brown, a resident of Guanaja Island who was within miles of the eye of the hurricane. "Few houses have remained standing."

At least 14 people have died on the islands, but a Foreign Office spokeswoman said it was not known whether any Britons had been hurt in the storm.

A British consular official said it was thought that up to 100 Britons could have been on the Bay Islands.

Rufus Legg said: "The islands have been completely cut off, and it was not possible to evacuate people because there was not enough notice.

"We have advised anyone caught in the hurricane to take shelter in a basement or in a strong building."

130mph winds

Honduras has borne the brunt of Hurricane Mitch, which is some 30 miles out to sea.

Mitch, the fourth-strongest hurricane to hit the Caribbean this century, has brought 130mph winds and the threat of severe flooding to the coast from southern Mexico to Honduras.

Tourists wait to leave at Cancun airport

Almost 700 soldiers in the former British colony of Belize are helping to evacuate thousands of civilians from Belize City, on the coast.

Two Royal Navy warships are on stand-by, ready to put their helicopters to use in the aftermath of any damage.

The hurricane has remained almost stationary, but it is feared it will soon head north-west towards Belize.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said parties of British troops had been sent into the interior of Belize to set up emergency communication systems.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said that although the situation was changing too fast for specific advice to be given, they were warning against non-essential journeys to the region.

The Department for International Development has announced that it had allocated an initial £100,000 emergency aid to Belize to help deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch.

The National Weather Centre has warned: "Mitch is likely to remain a threat to the entire north western Caribbean for the next two days...or longer."