At least 27 dead, four missing, hotels and shops partially destroyed, and communities without power and communications that’s how many were claimed by the devastating Hurricane Otis, which hit the Mexican port of Acapulco. This is the first report of casualties as the affected area has been virtually isolated since the early hours of Wednesday when the storm hit the Mexican Pacific as Hurricane 5, the highest category on the SaffirSimpson scale. The streets of the port, which relies primarily on tourism, have been overcrowded since Thursday afternoon and people are amazed at the damage. According to authorities, tourist occupancy in Acapulco, with around 20,000 hotel rooms, was 50% at the time of the hurricane. The government reported that 80% of hotels suffered damage and that they had organized about 40 buses to provide free transportation.
Building destroyed during Hurricane Otis in Acapulco, Guerrero State, Mexico. Several residential towers near the coast were completely or partially destroyed by wind gusts of up to 300 km/h. | RODRIGO OROPEZA/AFP/METSUL METEOROLOGY
A woman walks among the rubble of buildings destroyed by the winds of Hurricane Otis. Otis hit Acapulco with intense sustained winds of 170 mph (270 km/h), shattering windows and walls of buildings, uprooting trees, and largely disrupting communications and road connections with the region. | RODRIGO OROPEZA/AFP/METSUL METEOROLOGY
Aerial view of a building destroyed by the hurricane in Acapulco. Residents of the Mexican city described the situation as a “total disaster.” Otis reached Acapulco at the peak of hurricane strength. | RODRIGO OROPEZA/AFP/METSUL METEOROLOGY
Aerial photos show that the Acapulco Mall was nearly destroyed during the hurricane, with severe structural collapses and the destruction of entire stores on the upper floors of the establishment. | RODRIGO OROPEZA/AFP/METSUL METEOROLOGY
All tall buildings near the beach in Acapulco were severely damaged. Some beach hotels were razed to the ground, the walls of their rooms torn away by the wind, turning the buildings, their beams and floors into skeletons. | RODRIGO OROPEZA/AFP/METSUL METEOROLOGY
Authorities confirmed 27 dead and four missing in Acapulco following Category 5 Hurricane Otis. The tropical cyclone developed from a tropical storm to a fullblown hurricane in less than 24 hours. | FRANCISCO ROBELES/AFP/METSUL METEOROLOGY
Extreme rain caused by the hurricane caused flooding and mudslides in the Acapulco area. Cars piled up on a city street after being swept away by the current. | FRANCISCO ROBELES/AFP/METSUL METEOROLOGY