A full two days after Hurricane Otis hit Mexico, a clearer picture of the damage is finally emerging, with reports of at least 27 dead and new footage of the damage now providing scope of the devastation of the category 5 Hurricane.
Otis made landfall with winds of 165 mph early Wednesday morning. The Hurricane intensified over the course of just 12 hours, taking Mexico by surprise when it hit.
Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Mexico’s President, defended the Mexican government’s response in a press conference, saying “there was enough warning,” but the general feeling was of widespread frustration with the government, if not for the warning, for the response post-hurricane.
NPR reported that around 10,000 troops were deployed to the area, but they did not have the necessary tools to clean the mud or fallen trees, and the employees from the government electrical company were unable to restore power when they arrived on Acapulco on Wednesday, October 25th.
The images on social media speak of devastation, with videos showing an Acapulco that is almost unrecognizable, with comments like ”Not a single pole left standing” and “many houses remain without connection” unverified comments found online.
This aerial view purports to show the “destruction of Acapulco yacht club where it’s been reported that at least 6 bodies have been found.”
Other videos show entire neighborhoods destroyed.
This video shows the “zona diamante,” a neighborhood with high-end condominiums.
And others show the confusion and backed-up streets as people try to leave Acapulco.
The loss of life, is, of course, much more important than the material loss, but the videos give clear context to the devastation of Hurricane Otis and the importance of a clear plan for disaster prevention and management. They also once again, underscore the importance of climate regulations, as the human-caused climate crisis is the reason for the rapid intensification of hurricanes like Otis, according to scientists.
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