The aftermath of Hurricane Otis, a devastating natural catastrophe that wreaked havoc on the pristine Mexican beach resort of Acapulco, has left a trail of destruction and a rising death toll. The government confirmed on Saturday that the number of fatalities has now reached 39. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador criticized his political opponents for what he perceived as an exaggeration of the disaster’s magnitude.
The tempestuous Hurricane Otis struck Acapulco, located in the southern state of Guerrero, with relentless winds reaching speeds of 165 mph (266 km/h) on Wednesday. The relentless onslaught resulted in severe flooding, widespread structural damage with roofs ripped from homes, stores, and hotels, submerged vehicles, and severed communication networks, as well as road and air connections.
While the government had initially reported 27 casualties and four individuals missing, it had shared limited details regarding the victims and survivors. Reports of looting continued, and residents in heavily affected neighborhoods, grappling with dire shortages of food and water, accused the government of inadequately delivering aid.
President López Obrador, in a 24-minute video shared on social media, used a considerable portion of his address to criticize his critics, alleging that they sought to exploit the situation in the lead-up to the next presidential election. He accused them of behaving like “vultures,” indifferent to the suffering of the people, with intentions to harm his administration.
“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 declared.
López Obrador, aged 69, asserted that media outlets attempting to tarnish his government had inflated the death toll and promised an update from the security minister, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, emphasizing the importance of accuracy.
“Let her tell us … how many people have really lost their lives so far,” he said. He also stated that his administration was doing more than any government had “ever done” to manage the aftermath of the disaster.
Rosa Icela Rodríguez reported that the victims are believed to have drowned due to the ferocity of the category 5 storm, and there are still 10 individuals unaccounted for.
On Saturday afternoon, rescue teams, aboard two inflatable red boats, scoured Acapulco Bay for casualties. They returned to shore with three lifeless bodies, which were photographed for investigative purposes.
There is growing concern among officials that the death toll may rise further. Of the 39 victims identified, 29 were male, and 10 were female, according to the government, referencing data from Guerrero.
Authorities revealed that over 220,000 residences and 80% of the hotel sector had suffered damage, and more than 513,000 people were left without power.
In Acapulco’s Renacimiento neighborhood, waterlogged streets, and an absence of aid, left residents dismayed. Apolonio Maldonado, displaying deep cuts on his shins from the flooded streets, lamented, “The government hasn’t given us any help, not even hope. They haven’t left any food, or even mattresses or cots.”
Martha Villanueva, through tears, implored for assistance, saying, “We want help. We lost everything in the water.”
The economic cost of the hurricane’s devastation is estimated to be in the billions of dollars, prompting the deployment of over 8,000 armed forces members to aid in the recovery efforts.
Mexican authorities labeled Hurricane Otis as the most potent storm ever to hit the Pacific coast of the country. It took forecasters by surprise, intensifying with unprecedented swiftness before making landfall, surpassing initial predictions.