Pacific Storm “Otis” quickly strengthened into an extremely dangerous hurricane, with a maximum level of five, as it heads towards the west coast of Mexico.
As announced last night (local time) by the US Hurricane Center in Miami (NHC), the storm reached sustained wind speeds of almost 270 kilometers per hour. The center of “Otis” was about 70 kilometers southeast of the famous seaside resort of Acapulco on the Pacific coast.
APA/AFP/NOAA
According to forecasts, “Otis” is expected to reach the coast this morning (local time) and could cause “catastrophic” damage, according to the NHC. Authorities in the state of Guerrero appealed to the population to take precautionary measures before the hurricane’s arrival.
During heavy and persistent rains, landslides and floods frequently occur in southern Mexico, which can cause deaths and significant damage.
Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean waters. Increasing global warming increases the likelihood of severe storms. A hurricane is defined as a wind speed of 119 kilometers per hour. Hurricane season begins May 15 in the Pacific and June 1 in the Atlantic. Ends on November 30th in both regions.