Hurricane “Otis” hit Mexico’s southwest coast and left behind severe damage. The tourist town of Acapulco is completely cut off. The early warning system for earthquakes was also damaged.
After Hurricane Otis made landfall with wind speeds of up to 270 kilometers per hour, the Mexican region of Acapulco is cut off from the rest of the country. The tropical storm had developed into a hurricane of the highest category five within twelve hours.
Communication with the region on the southwest coast has completely broken down, said Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. It is therefore difficult to assess the full extent of the damage caused. There are already reports of property damage and blocked roads. A highway was also damaged as a result of landslides. Local media reported flooding in coastal areas, covered roofs and fallen trees.
According to the Mexican Civil Defense, around half a million households were temporarily without power due to the storm in the state of Guerrero. According to media reports, the supply in Acapulco also collapsed, as did telephone and internet connections.
First Aid deliveries on the way
There was initially no information from the authorities as to whether people had died as a result of the hurricane. The television station Foro TV, however, reported that a fisherman died on the coast while trying to protect his boat.
The residents of the coastal areas had been called upon in advance to get to safety. Around 500 emergency shelters were set up for this purpose. According to President López Obrador, the first aid convoy is already on its way to the region. However, transport will be made more difficult because it is still not possible to fly to the affected area.
Flooded streets in Acapulco – Hurricane “Otis” also caused severe flooding in the coastal region.
Earthquake early warning system damaged
The tropical storm also damaged the earthquake early warning system on Mexico’s Pacific coast. Its operator stated that communication with at least 27 of the approximately 100 sensors was interrupted. If a strong earthquake occurs near the damaged sensors, the population cannot be warned in time. Repairs to the system were at risk of being delayed due to damage to traffic routes.
Even before the tropical storm hit the coast, authorities had warned of “catastrophic” damage. On land, Otis weakened to a Category 1 hurricane.