Hurricane Otis Leaves a Toll of 43 Dead in Southern Mexico’s Guerrero

At least 43 people have died after Hurricane Otis hit Guerrero state of southern Mexico as a devastating Category 5 storm last week, CNN reported citing Guerrero’s Governor Evelyn Salgado Pineda.
In a statement shared on Facebook, Pineda stated that the deceased victims include 33 men and 10 women. She said that Mexican authorities have rescued 340 people, according to CNN report. Shortly after midnight on Wednesday, the storm brought winds of 165 mph ashore near Acapulco, leaving the southern Mexico tourist destination in ruins. As many as 220,035 homes have been affected and 80 percent of the region’s hotels have been damaged due to Hurricane Otis.

The health sector reported ground-floor flooding at one hospital, according to CNN report. Meanwhile, electromechanical equipment and the medicinal gas supply were affected at another hospital, according to the statement released by authorities on Saturday. Trees have fallen and landslides
Multiple roads were closed due to falling trees and landslides caused by Otis.

Mexico’s Seismic Alert System (SASMEX) has reported damage to 27 sensors in the Pacific Ocean region. According to officials, Acapulco International Airport also suffered damage. However, it has now resumed operations.

The devastation caused by Otis left many buildings, including some high-rises, in ruins with exposed concrete blocks, scattered pieces of wood, and nonexistent roofing. Rain and storm surges caused several feet of murky floodwaters on roads, according to CNN report.

Power supply in over half a million homes and businesses in Guerrero was affected, according to Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission. The Guerrero Governor said that they had restored electricity to 5 of those affected in Acapulco by Sunday. According to the authorities, around 10,000 military members were deployed to Acapulco area to assist with efforts.

Salgado Pineda said, “They have been intense days of permanent work, without rest and with the sole aim of recovering our Acapulco. We are advancing in efficiently distributing humanitarian aid, providing relevant support and advancing in restoring services,” CNN reported.

In a statement on Friday, US President Joe Biden said he is “deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation” from Hurricane Otis. Biden said that he has directed his administration to work closely with “our partners in the Government of Mexico to offer our full support.” He further said, “We are also working to ensure the safety of American citizens in and around Acapulco.”