The devastating impact of Hurricane Otis on Acapulco has claimed 43 lives, according to Governor Evelyn Salgado, with electricity restored to only 58% of the city. The governor, speaking on the situation, emphasized that officials have been working tirelessly, distributing aid to those affected by the storm. Otis’s unrelenting winds of 165mph (266 km/h) left a path of destruction, flooding homes, businesses, and hotels, submerging vehicles, and severing communications, as well as disrupting road and air connections.
As officials continue to comb through the damage, many residents have been left struggling to find food and water in the hard-hit neighborhoods. The government has faced criticism for not doing enough to provide aid, with some residents accusing officials of being slow to respond. Looting has been a concern, adding to the already dire situation.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has taken to social media to address the crisis, taking aim at his political opponents, whom he accused of exaggerating the scale of the disaster for political gain. “They circle like vultures. They don’t care about people’s pain. They want to hurt us, for there to have been lots of deaths,” he said, attacking those who criticize his administration’s response.
López Obrador also accused media outlets of spreading misinformation about the death toll, insisting that his government has provided sufficient aid to those affected. “Let her tell us… how many people have really lost their lives so far,” he said, pointing to Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez for an update on casualties.
Hurricane Otis AftermathAs rescue efforts continue, the government has acknowledged that the death toll could rise. In an earlier statement, officials reported that 29 men and 10 women had lost their lives in the storm. The disaster has affected over 220,000 homes, with 80% of the hotel sector also bearing the brunt of the damage. More than 513,000 people have lost power, and the cost of the devastation has been estimated at billions of dollars.
The people of Acapulco are struggling to come to terms with the destruction, with many still wading through murky brown water in the flooded streets. In the Renacimiento neighborhood, residents lamented the lack of aid, with some expressing frustration at the government’s seeming reluctance to provide assistance. “The government hasn’t given us any help, not even hope,” said one resident, Apolonio Maldonado. “They haven’t left any food, or even mattresses or cots.”
As cleanup efforts begin, authorities have deployed over 8,000 armed forces members to help the city recover. Hurricane Otis, the most powerful storm ever to strike the country’s Pacific coast, has left a lasting impact on Acapulco, and the road to recovery will be a long and arduous one.