Hurricane Otis made landfall in Acapulco, Mexico, as a Category 5 storm Wednesday, bringing widespread devastation and potential loss of life.
Hurricane Otis hit Acapulco on Wednesday as a surprise Cat. 5 storm, developing from a tropical storm in just 12 hours over the eastern Pacific. The sudden onslaught of devastating winds meant many residents were caught off-guard, leading to widespread chaos as communications collapsed, the internet went out and rivers of mud flowed through the streets, according to The Associated Press (AP).
Acapulco is completely cut off from the outside world at the time of writing, as most roads are inundated with water and debris. The scale of damage means little is known about the total loss of life, but looting has already commenced as residents grow tired of waiting for aid to arrive.
“It’s one thing to have a Category 5 hurricane make landfall somewhere when you’re expecting it or expecting a strong hurricane, but to have it happen when you’re not expecting anything to happen is truly a nightmare,” University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy told The AP.
Possibly thousands of windows were blown out across the region, particularly in hotels and resorts along the beachfront. “We laid down on the floor and some between beds,” tourist Jakob Sauczuk told the outlet. “We prayed a lot.”
Hurricane #Otis made landfall as a devastating Category 5 storm near #Acapulco, Mexico, early Wednesday morning, causing severe damage and power outages. Loss of life is feared. pic.twitter.com/dNlSuCk5n9
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) October 25, 2023
Footage shared online by AccuWeather shows the region in an apocalyptic state, with chaos and carnage leading to the almost total destruction of some buildings. Videos also showed the flooded roadways, with residents trying to navigate using boats and trucks. (RELATED: Before-And-After Photos From Hurricane Idalia Are Mind-Blowing)
Otis quickly lost strength and was downgraded after it started moving overland. Heavy flooding is still anticipated, and landslides have already been reported, according to The Weather Channel. The last major hurricane to hit Acapulco was Pauline in 1997, which killed 300 people, and was weaker than Hurricane Otis.