CURRENT REPORT BLOG Hurricane Otis, an unprecedented Category 5 storm, made a devastating landfall on Mexico’s western coast, resulting in the loss of at least 27 lives with several others reported missing. This hurricane, featuring wind speeds of up to 165 mph, now holds the record as the most powerful to strike Mexico’s Pacific shoreline, surpassing the previous benchmark set by Category 4 Hurricane Patricia in 2015. The storm rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to Category 5 within just 24 hours, wreaking havoc on the popular Mexican resort town of Acapulco.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador reported extensive material damage, including road closures and landslides on the highway leading to Acapulco. Due to communication disruptions, an assessment of human losses remained challenging, and travel by plane or helicopter was impossible. The nation now awaits a reduction in the hurricane’s intensity as it grapples with the aftermath of this destructive natural disaster.
