Mexico braces for catastrophic damage as the storm makes landfall near Acapulco

Hurricane Otis has rapidly strengthened from a tropical storm to a powerful Category 5 hurricane in just a few hours, posing an imminent threat to Mexico’s southern Pacific coast. The storm is expected to make landfall near the resort city of Acapulco early Wednesday morning, and the US National Hurricane Center has issued dire warnings about the potential for catastrophic damage.

“This is a nightmare scenario unfolding for southern Mexico,” said a National Hurricane Center forecaster late Tuesday, adding that the storm is likely to cause extensive destruction. The meteorologists highlighted that Otis is one of the most intense hurricanes ever to approach this region, with no prior storms recorded at such strength.

Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has urged residents to seek shelter immediately, warning people to stay in safe areas away from rivers, streams, and ravines. He emphasized the seriousness of the situation and advised caution, stating that the hurricane posed a grave threat to the Acapulco metropolitan area.

In Acapulco, which has a population of over a million, residents rushed home as heavy rain and strong winds began to batter the resort. Tourists were quickly evacuated from the beaches as the storm approached, and authorities are bracing for the worst as Otis nears landfall.

As the storm intensifies, Mexico faces the daunting challenge of minimizing the impact on its coastal population, with the possibility of widespread devastation in the coming hours.