Hurricane Otis, category 5, hit the west coast of Mexico, near the city of Acapulco, this Wednesday (25). With winds of up to 265 km/h, the phenomenon caused flooding in southern Mexico and left a team from CNN stranded at a gas station due to heavy rain.
Mexican government officials are heading to Acapulco to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Otis after losing communications with their teams on the ground, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirmed.
He said his government has no reports of casualties following Hurricane Otis, but that all communications systems in the area are currently down. “There is no communication”, he reported, and then said that the highway that gives access to the city is blocked by landslides.
There is also no way to get to Acapulco by plane or helicopter, as flights were canceled due to bad weather.
The National Civil Protection coordinator, Laura Velázquez, reiterated, in an interview with the local news channel Milenio TV, that there is no information about injuries or missing people.
“There is no way to get to Acapulco by air; That’s why we travel by road. We do not have satellite contact; no way. That’s why we’re moving. We don’t know what time we will arrive, but we will arrive with all the help,” he added.
Otis lost strength after reaching the coast
Hurricane Otis rapidly intensified on its way to Mexico until it reached category 5, weakened to category 4 after making landfall and is now in category 1, according to the latest report from Mexico’s National Meteorological Service (SMN).
The SMN predicts “persistent rain” for the next few hours over entities in the center of the country. Otis could bring up to 510 mm of rain to parts of Guerrero and Oaxaca states, landslides, a “potentially catastrophic” storm surge and life-threatening surf conditions and rip currents, authorities said.
Conagua, Mexico’s national water agency, warned of waves of 6 to 8 meters off Guerrero and parts of Oaxaca.
In Guerrero, authorities opened storm shelters and the National Guard stood ready for rescues and evacuations.
Videos posted on social media showed rooms destroyed by the hurricane, ceilings and walls ripped open and cars partially submerged in floodwaters as the southern state of Guerrero woke up to the disorder left in Otis’ wake..
Footage from a hospital on social media showed nurses evacuating patients from their rooms to keep them safe.
See also: Brazilians report drama with the arrival of Hurricane Idalia
Published by Flávio Ismerim, with information from CNN Internacional and Reuters
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
