Topline
Forty-five people have died and 47 are still missing after Hurricane Otis ripped through southwestern Mexico Wednesday, Evelyn Salgado, the governor of Guerrero, said—two numbers that have been rising as officials continue their search and recovery efforts.
View of damages in the beach area following the passage of Hurricane Otis in Acapulco, Mexico, on … [+]
Key Facts
Guerrero said search crews have already located 152 missing individuals since the storm struck with surprising force Wednesday, after rapidly intensifying from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane, catching much of the region off guard.
According to Reuters, search efforts were still underway through Sunday, including on Acapulco’s Playa Honda beach, where local fishermen and yacht workers were searching for those missing.
The hurricane, which hit the resort town of Acapulco, also knocked out power and shut down the airport.
However, by Monday power was restored for 65% of affected users in Acapulco, the New York Times reported, and Acapulco’s international airport partially reopened on Friday, Bloomberg reported.
The Mexican government has sent around 17,000 members of the armed forces to the area to assist with keeping order and distributing food and supplies, Reuters reported.
The deceased include an American citizen, a Briton and a Canadian, Reuters reported.
Key Background
Hurricane Otis made landfall as a Category 5 storm on southwest Mexico’s Pacific coast early Wednesday, reaching maximum wind speeds of about 165 mph and bringing wind gusts as fast as 205 mph. Hurricane Otis surprised many in the region. Meteorologists said because it passed over warm waters, the hurricane was able to intensify very quickly before it reached Acapulco. This process is known as “rapid intensification” and was seen in other recent hurricanes like 2022’s Hurricane Ian and 2021’s Hurricane Ida. Increased ocean temperatures because of human-caused climate change could have exacerbated this hurricane and the “rapid intensification” effect, according to the Weather Channel. The hurricane brought heavy rain and intense mudslides to Acapulco and the surrounding region, destroying homes and businesses.
Big Number
$10-15 billion. That’s how much in estimated damages the hurricane did to the area, according to CoreLogic, a consultancy and analysis firm.
Further Reading
Hurricane Otis Death Toll At 43 As The Search Continues For Survivors (Forbes)
Hurricane Otis Landfall Stuns Mexico—Mudslides And Storm Surge Expected (Forbes)
At Least 27 Dead And Four More Missing After Hurricane Otis Ravages Acapulco, Mexico (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/willskipworth/2023/10/30/hurricane-otis-death-toll-rises-to-45-while-47-are-still-missing-mexican-authorities-say/