Otis arrived this Wednesday, October 25, as one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the Pacific coast of Mexico. The impact of the hurricane caused the death of at least 27 people, according to government authorities, and another four are missing. Several countries announced their support with medical and rescue brigades, while dozens of families seek refuge from the destruction of their homes.
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The Mexican state of Guerrero, in southwestern Mexico, experienced hours of terror in the early hours of October 25. Fallen trees and traffic signs, completely destroyed hotels and homes marked the panorama. The hurricane left at least 27 dead and four missing.
In the early hours of Wednesday, October 25, the streets of this tourist coastal city, in the Pacific of Mexico, were transformed into a scene of chaos and despair, after Hurricane Otis made landfall in the resort of Acapulco.
The country and, above all, the state of Guerrero awaited the arrival of Otis, but they never calculated the magnitude of his impact. It went from winds of 64 kilometers per hour to about 270 km/h in less than 12 hours; That is, it transformed from a tropical storm to a category 5 hurricane, the highest of these meteorological phenomena. Thus, it became one of the strongest hurricanes to have hit the south of the state of Guerrero.
Fierce winds and torrential rains unleashed unprecedented devastation, leaving a trail of destroyed homes in their wake. The authorities reported the closure of six roads, damage to the Regional General Hospital 1 of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) in Acapulco and damage to the infrastructure of 80% of the hotels on the coast.
According to the Federal Electricity Commission, more than half a million people were left without electricity and, until Thursday, October 26, remained without electricity service.
The Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection explained that this is an “atypical” and “unlikely” phenomenon. The fuel for Otis to strengthen was the warming of the oceans due to the climate crisis, specialists explained.
A nightmare scenario
The alerts had been issued. The inhabitants of Acapulco had prepared for the arrival of Otis, but they never imagined his destruction. In the midst of darkness, the first gusts of the hurricane hit the city.
The first rays of morning sun revealed the real impact of Otis. A desolate panorama of rubble and ruin. The hotel zone of Acapulco was the most affected, national and foreign tourists waited outside the destroyed buildings, with their luggage, without communication. In the most popular sectors of this town, dozens of families lost everything, their homes were destroyed and their belongings underwater. Some hospitals were also flooded and patients had to be evacuated to safer areas.
Families who had lived in their homes for generations saw their homes crumble before their eyes.
Areas completely devastated and many people remain cut off. Guerrero’s main highway remains closed. The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, traveled to Acapulco by land, but due to the destruction of the roads he had to travel several sections on foot and others in different vehicles.
Several countries announced that they will send brigades to collaborate with the Mexican Government. Orly and Halley, Red Cross rescue dogs, also join the search and rescue tasks.
The National Meteorological Service (SNM) reported that there will be intense rains due to the remnants of Otis.
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