Hurricane Otis winds blast through Acapulco hospital after storm makes landfall in Mexico
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Hurricane Otis slammed into Mexico early on Wednesday as the strongest storm to make landfall on the country’s west coast.
Otis went from a Category 1 to a Category 5 storm in only 12 hours — the fastest rate ever recorded in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
According to the National Hurricane Center, the eye of Otis made landfall close to the resort town of Acapulco with winds of 165mph. Forecasters described it as “a nightmare scenario” for southern Mexico.
The storm had lost power by Wednesday morning and was downgraded to a Category 2 storm as it moved into Guerrero state. But high winds, torrential rain and flooding were still posing serious threats to the region.
The state-owned Mexican electrical company said that over 500k customers had lost power but 200k had their power restored.
The entire city of Acapulco lost power overnight.
Videos from the scene showed palm trees stripped bare of their leaves, and badly damaged buildings including a shopping centre and hospital.
Half a million Guerrero residents without power
After Hurricane Otis pummeled parts of Mexico on Wednesday, over a third of electric customers in Guerrero were left without power.
Comisión Federal de Electricidad, the state-owned Mexican electrical provider company, said more than 504,000 residents woke up without power but they managed to restore 40 per cent of its customers.
A team of 846 electrical workers, 96 cranes, 347 vehicles, 26 emergency plants and 1 helicopter assisted in the company’s quick response to the power outages.
Where will Hurricane Otis hit next?
Hurricane Otis made landfall close to Acapulco, Mexico in the early hours of Wednesday after rapidly intensifying from a Category 1 to Category 5 storm in just 12 hours.
The hurricane had weakened to a Cat-2 and was moving inland by Wednesday afternoon. The storm is now around 100 miles northwest of Acapulco.
It is expected to lose even more power as it hits Guerrero state’s steep mountains, before dissipating on Wednesday night.
The Mexican government discontinued a hurricane warning for Acapulco but issued a tropical storm warning for Punta Maldonado, around 100 miles to the south.
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Hurricane Otis made landfall near the coastal city of Acapulco, Mexico
Watch: Hurricane Otis makes landfall as 165mph winds hit Mexico
Hurricane Otis makes landfall as 165mph winds hit Mexico
No immediate reports of fatalities from Hurricane Otis
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said there were no immediate reports of fatalities from Hurricane Otis, but cautioned that authorities were struggling to get updates.
“The hurricane is still affecting the area and communications are completely down,” he told reporters at a regular government press conference.
In pictures: Destruction caused by Hurricane Otis
Winds of up to 165mph are battering the Mexican city of Acapulco
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Winds of 165mph destroyed the Galerias shopping center in Acapulco
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Authorities warned of ‘catastrophic damage’ cased by Hurricane Otis
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More than 500,00 people left without electricity as Hurricane Otis rips through Acapulco
Mexico’s Comisión Federal de Electricidad said that half a million customers had lost power during Hurricane Otis but that Wednesday morning, around 200,000 were reconnected.
The company said that they would begin work restoring those who were still cut off once the weather conditions improved.
Why did Hurricane Otis grow so quickly?
Hurricane Otis is tracking north through the country and is expected to dump five to 10 inches (13-25cm) of rain on Guerrero state with as much as 15 inches (38cm) possible in some areas. That raised the possibility of mudslides and flashfloods in Guerrero’s steep mountainous terrain.
The National Hurricane Center considers a storm to rapidly intensify if it increases wind speed by 35mph (46kph) in 24 hours.
While it is still too early to say what impact the climate crisis had on this individual weather event, record-breaking ocean temperatures are fuelling stronger and more destructive cyclones in general.
Otis went from a Category 1 to Category 5 hurricane in only 12 hours
Otis likely to dissipate tonight
Otis is tracking to move farther inland and is now about 100 miles northwest of Acapulco. It will continue to move across southern Mexico through Wednesday night.
Heavy rainfall and flash flooding continues in the region. Winds have dropped to 80mph with higher gusts. Rapid weakening is expected when the system hits the mountains of Mexico. Otis will likely dissipate tonight.
The Mexican government has discontinued the Hurricane Warning west of Acapulco, and changed the Hurricane Warning from Acapulco to Punta Maldonado to a Tropical Storm Warning.
Hurricane Otis now a Category 2 hurricane
Hurricane Otis has been downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane.
The storm was expected to continue losing strength as it traveled inland before dissipating over southern Mexico on Wednesday night.
It made landfall as a Category 5 storm shortly after midnight, but was soon downgraded to a Category 4 storm.
It has now been downgraded to a Category 2, with sustained winds of 110mph, down from 165mph.
This rates storms based on the severity of their wind speed in a one to five rating, but does not take into account rainfall or flooding.
Heavy rain is expected across southern Mexico through Thursday, with risk of flooding and landslides.
