From 0-100: The Story of Hurricane Otis

Hurricane season runs from June 1st - November 30th, and during this time we see all kinds of storms. From strong and slow-moving to quick and weak, hurricanes are grand forces of nature. Hurricane Otis occurred from Oct 22-25, swiftly becoming a hurricane near Mexico’s southwestern coast. Adding to the list of hurricanes that receive the catastrophic rating, category 5.

Timeline:
On October 22nd, Tropical Depression Eighteen-E, upgraded to a tropical storm. The next day, Mexico issued tropical storm watches spanning parts of Guerrero to Oaxaca. These were upgraded into hurricane watches as Otis’s max sustained winds reached 85 km/h. Oct 24th rolls around and new hurricane warnings are put in place from Punta Maldonado to Zihuatanejo, across the coast of Guerrero state. Otis is now given hurricane status and, miraculously within 24 hours, the maximum sustained winds increase from 100 km/h to 270 km/h. This is nearly unheard of when talking about hurricane speeds and creates immense danger for those in the storm's way. Hurricane Otis is now a category 5 storm, turning from dangerous to absolutely catastrophic. The next day, at 1:25 AM CDT it made landfall, slamming into Mexico’s southwest and directly into the city of Acapulco. Eventually, Otis’s wind speed decreased and by 4 PM its journey finally ended after a destructive 14+ hours on land.

Category 5 Damage:
In Acapulco, the largest city in the state of Guerrero, the damage is extensive. Out of the 800,000 residents, 500,000 were left without power. Homes and local businesses, along with tourist-attracting hotels were completely wiped, as the category 5 hurricane went straight through the heart of the city. Those working in tourism were left with nothing, their buildings crushed, with many reverting to picking up trash and debris in exchange for basic resources. Before Otis, crime rates were rapidly rising, however, the aftermath of the hurricane caused crime to skyrocket. Many residents were left without food and water, with some resorting to looting whatever they could. Along the shoreline, more than 600 boats lay in ruin from the damage caused by wind and debris.

Dead and missing:
Many left to face the damage and loss of life belonged to the middle and lower class, unsure of the danger they were to face. In the end, 18 were found dead on the day Otis made landfall.
Due to the hurricane cutting out many power sources and the violent nature of the storm causing debris to block sections of roads, search and rescue efforts proved slow at first. As of the most recent updates, the current death toll totals at 46-49 individuals, with 26 missing. Some death toll reports are disputed by locals, who report upwards of 100 deaths and more missing.