Hurricane Otis – latest: Fears grow for people still missing in Acapulco after storm killed 27

Fears are growing for the four people missing in Acapulco after a “nightmare” Category-5 hurricane ripped through the city.

At least 27 people are dead and four people are missing after Hurricane Otis brought 165mph winds and torrential rainfall to Acapulco on Wednesday.

Flora Contreras Santos, a housewife who lives on the outskirts of the city, told of her fear after her three-year-old neighbor was swept away from her mother in a mudslide.

“The mountain came down on them. The mud took her from the mother’s arms,” she told the Associated Press. “We need help, the mother is in bad shape and we can’t find the girl.”

Meanwhile, Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado Pineda announced the establishment of a WhatsApp line to help people contact their families after communications went down in Acapulco on Wednesday.

Otis is the strongest ever storm to make landfall on Mexico’s west coast. The hurricane underwent explosive intensification from a Category 1 to Category 5 in just 12 hours, catching forecasters by surprise. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) described it as a “nightmare scenario” for the region.

Key Points

• Acapulco still mostly inaccessible after havoc wreaked by Hurricane Otis

• Survivors describe horror as Acapulco residents left in flooded and windblown chaos

• Hurricane Otis makes landfall near Acapulco

• Why did Hurricane Otis grow so quickly?

• At least 27 dead and four missing in Acapulco after Otis

Otis now a tropical storm

Wednesday 25 October 2023 22:00 , Ariana Baio

The Category 5 hurricane that lashed through parts of Mexico’s Pacific coast was downgraded to a tropical storm, just hours after it made landfall.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said maximum wind speeds were around 60 mph on Wednesday afternoon.

It was located around 130 miles North / North-West of Acapulco.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Punta Maldonado and Acapulco.

“A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area,” the NHC wrote.

Earthquake detected in resort city hours after Otis

Wednesday 25 October 2023 22:30 , Ariana Baio

A 4.4-magnitude earthquake was detected in the resort city of Zihuatanejo – just 120 miles north of Acapulco – hours after Otis caused massive destruction to the southern part of Mexico’s Pacific coast.

A preliminary evaluation of the area was conducted by state and municipal personnel in the area, the Mexican civil protection coordination agency said.

Residents were not warned of the earthquake because the seismic system used to warn people was unable to operate.

SkyAlerts – the early earthquake-warning service, said damage left behind from Otis had left their infrastructure “temporarily inoperative”.

Acapulco cut off by Cat-5 Hurricane Otis which caught forecasters by surprise

Wednesday 25 October 2023 23:00 , Louise Boyle

A “nightmare scenario” struck shortly after midnight in the coastal city of Acapulco on Wednesday.

Hurricane Otis roared ashore in southern Mexico, the strongest-ever storm to make landfall on the country’s west coast.

The hurricane underwent explosive intensification from a Category 1 to a Category 5 in just 12 hours in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, catching forecasters by surprise. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) described it as a “nightmare scenario” for the region.

The storm made landfall with 165mph winds and torrential rain of up to 15 inches in places.

Read more here:

Acapulco cut off by Cat-5 Hurricane Otis which caught forecasters by surprise

Satellite footage shows lightning strikes in eye of Hurricane Otis

Thursday 26 October 2023 00:15 , Ariana Baio

In Photos: Landslides threaten Acapulco area after storm

Thursday 26 October 2023 01:00 , Ariana Baio

Otis took many forecasters by surprise

Thursday 26 October 2023 02:00 , Martha McHardy

Hurricane Otis slammed into Mexico early on Wednesday as the strongest-ever storm to make landfall on the country’s west coast.

Otis went from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane in only 12 hours — the fastest rate ever recorded in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

The National Hurricane Center considers a storm to rapidly intensify if it increases wind speed by 35mph (46kph) in 24 hours.

While it is still too early to say what impact the climate crisis had on this individual weather event, record-breaking ocean temperatures are fuelling stronger and more destructive cyclones in general.

Heat in the ocean supercharges hurricanes with more moisture and stronger winds. This heat is being caused by a fossil-fuel-driven climate crisis with El Nino, a cyclical weather pattern, layered on top.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says that the climate crisis’s impact on hurricane power is “like adding fuel to a fire”.

Sea level rise is compounding the danger. Since the late 19th century, global sea level has risen by eight inches – threatening coastal communities and increasing flooding risk when storms push water inland.

Rising sea levels can also wipe out natural coastal defences which act as buffers to hurricanes such as marshy wetlands and swamps.

Footage of Acapulco shows aftermath of Otis

Thursday 26 October 2023 04:00 , Ariana Baio

Rescue efforts hampered by unaccessible roads

Thursday 26 October 2023 05:00 , Louise Boyle

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that rescue efforts and repair convoys were being hampered by the lack of access. Roads were covered in debris and bridges had collapsed in places after Hurricane Otis.

Flights had been grounded and officials were struggling to access the area as the local military airport had also sustained damage.

The storm moved inland on Wednesday bringing powerful winds and heavy rains across the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca. Otis is expected to begin to dissipate when it slams into Mexico’s mountain range later tonight.

In photos: Hurricane Otis flattens buildings and resort and unleashes massive flooding

Thursday 26 October 2023 06:08 , Stuti Mishra

Acapulco still mostly inaccessible after havoc wreaked by Hurricane Otis

Thursday 26 October 2023 06:42 , Stuti Mishra

The town of Acapulco remained almost inaccessible by roads Wednesday night as officials continue to assess the damage from Hurricane Otis.

Little is known about possible deaths or the full extent of the damage as experts are calling Otis the strongest storm in history to make landfall along the Eastern Pacific Coast.

Many of the once sleek beachfront hotels looked like toothless shattered hulks, after Hurricane Otis blew out hundreds - and possibly thousands - of hotel windows.

Choked with mud and debris, with no electricity or internet service, the Pacific coast resorts descended into chaos after the storm, as thousands engaged in massive looting.

Diamond Zone, an oceanfront area replete with hotels, restaurants and other tourist attractions, looked to be mostly underwater in drone footage that Foro TV posted online on Wednesday afternoon, with boulevards and bridges completely hidden by an enormous lake of brown water.

Large buildings had their walls and roofs partially or completely ripped off.

Dislodged solar panels, cars and debris littered the lobby of one severely damaged hotel. People wandered up to their waists in water in some areas, while on other less-flooded streets soldiers shovelled rubble and fallen palm fronds from the pavement.

While much of the city was in the dark and without phone service, some people were able to use satellite phones loaned by the Red Cross to let family members know they were OK.

Why did Hurricane Otis grow so quickly?

Thursday 26 October 2023 07:13 , Stuti Mishra

Hurricane Otis tore across Mexico's southern Pacific coast as a powerful and dangerous Category 5 hurricane on Wednesday.

The National Hurricane Center said the storm rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane, meaning its wind speed were by 35mph (46kph) in 24 hours.

Its rapid intensification left officials blindsided.

Here's how the hurricane intensified so quickly and how record-breaking ocean temperatures are fuelling stronger and more destructive cyclones in general.

Martha McHardy reports:

Why did Hurricane Otis rapidly intensify into a Category 5 overnight?

'We laid down on the floor': Survivors describe horror as Acapulco residents left in flooded and windblown chaos

Thursday 26 October 2023 08:29 , Stuti Mishra

A day after Hurricane Otis roared ashore in Acapulco, unleashing massive floods and setting off looting, the resort city of nearly one million descended into chaos.

The early images and accounts were of extensive devastation, toppled trees and power lines lying in brown floodwaters that in some areas extended for miles.

Jakob Sauczuk was staying with a group of friends at a beachfront hotel when Otis hit. "We laid down on the floor, and some between beds," Mr Sauczuk said. "We prayed a lot."

One of his friends showed reporters photos of the windowless, shattered rooms in the hotel. It looked as if someone had put clothes, beds and furniture in a blender, leaving a shredded mass.

Mr Sauczuk complained that his group was given no warning, nor were offered safer shelter, by the hotel.

Pablo Navarro, an auto parts worker who was lodged in temporary accommodations at a beach front hotel, thought he might die in his 13th story hotel room.

"I took shelter in the bathroom, and thankfully the door held," said Navarro. "But there were some room where the wind blew out the windows and the doors."

Death toll from Hurricane Ortis still unknown

Thursday 26 October 2023 09:29 , Stuti Mishra

A day after Hurricane Ortis made landfall in Mexico's Acapulco, unleashing heavy rains and leaving residents without electricity or internet service, the death toll still remains uncertain.

It took nearly all day Wednesday for authorities to partially reopen the main highway connecting Acapulco to the state capital Chilpancingo and Mexico City. The vital ground link allowed dozens of emergency vehicles, personnel and trucks carrying supplies to reach the battered port.

Acapulco's commercial and military airports were still too badly damaged to resume flights.

On Wednesday night the city plunged into darkness. There was no phone service, but some people were able to use satellite phones loaned by the Red Cross to let family members know they were OK.

Residents express anger as stores looted and rescue efforts remain slow

Thursday 26 October 2023 10:29 , Stuti Mishra

With assessment of damages and loss of life still unknown from Hurricane Ortis, there seemed to be a widespread frustration with authorities in Acapulco which has been left completely devastated after the storm.

While some 10,000 military troops were deployed to the area, they lacked the tools to clean tons of mud and fallen trees from the streets, the Associated Press reported.

Hundreds of trucks from the government electricity company arrived in Acapulco early on Wednesday, but seemed at a loss as to how to restore power, with downed electricity lines lying in feet of mud and water.

Pablo Navarro, an auto parts worker who was lodged in temporary accommodations at a beach front hotel, told the agency that he stood outside a discount grocery and household goods store near the hotel zone, as hundreds of people wrestled everything from packs of hot dogs and toilet paper to flat screen TVs out of the muddy store, struggling to push loaded metal shopping carts onto the mud-choked streets outside.

"This is out of control," he said.

Isabel de la Cruz, a resident of Acapulco, tried to move a shopping cart loaded with diapers, instant noodles and toilet paper through the mud.

She viewed what she took as a chance to help her family after she lost the tin roof of her home and her family's important documents in the hurricane.

"When is the government ever going to look after the common people?" she said.

Inside one store, National Guard officers allowed looters to take perishable items like food, but made futile efforts to prevent people from taking appliances, even as people outside loaded refrigerators on top of taxis.

Why did Hurricane Otis rapidly intensify into a Category 5 overnight?

Thursday 26 October 2023 11:00 , Martha Mchardy

Hurricane Otis slammed into Mexico early on Wednesday as the strongest-ever storm to make landfall on the country’s west coast.

Otis went from a Category 1 to Category 5 hurricane in only 12 hours — the fastest rate ever recorded in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the eye of Otis made landfall close to the resort town of Acapulco around 12.25am local time with winds of 165mph. Forecasters described it as “a nightmare scenario” for southern Mexico.

The storm is tracking north through the country and is expected to dump five to 10 inches (13-25cm) of rain on Guerrero state with as much as 15 inches (38cm) possible in some areas. That raised the possibility of mudslides and flashfloods in Guerrero’s steep mountainous terrain.

Martha McHardy reports:

Why did Hurricane Otis rapidly intensify into a Category 5 overnight?

Watch: Hurricane Otis winds blast through Acapulco hospital after storm makes landfall in Mexico

Thursday 26 October 2023 11:30 , Martha Mchardy

Watch: Infrared satellite shows ‘extremely dangerous’ Hurricane Otis make landfall in Mexico

Thursday 26 October 2023 12:00 , Martha Mchardy

Hurricanes are getting stronger. Here’s why

Thursday 26 October 2023 12:30 , Martha Mchardy

Hurricane Otis slammed into Mexico early on Wednesday as the strongest ever storm to make landfall on the country’s west coast.

Otis went from a Category 1 to Category 5 hurricane in just 12 hours — the fastest rate ever recorded in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

The storm made landfall near Acapulco and is moving north-northwest through the country.

As global temperatures increase and sea levels rise, tropical cyclones - the catch-all term for hurricanes and typhoons - are expected to become more powerful and destructive, scientists say.

The ocean hit record high temperatures this year, driving marine heatwaves around the world. This heat is being caused by a fossil-fuel driven climate crisis with El Nino, a cyclical weather pattern, layered on top.

Louise Boyle reports:

Hurricanes are getting stronger. Here’s why

Watch: Hurricane Otis makes landfall as 165mph winds hit Mexico

Thursday 26 October 2023 13:00 , Martha Mchardy

Is it safe to travel amid Hurricane Otis?

Thursday 26 October 2023 13:30 , Martha Mchardy

After Hurricane Otis escalated into a Category 5 storm last night (24 October), concerns over the safety of travel to Mexico and the risk of further natural disasters have risen.

Hurricane conditions made a powerful landfall in Acapulco on Mexico’s Pacific coastline on Wednesday morning and sustained 165-mph winds are expected to sweep the south coast between San Jose del Progreso and San Jeronimo de Juarez on 25 October.

The general directorate of tourist services, Ángeles Verdes, said: “Safety is our top priority, and currently, travel to certain regions of Mexico may be risky due to adverse weather conditions and affected infrastructure.

“The recommendation from Ángeles Verdes is that you reconsider your trip or stay informed about the situation in Mexico before making a decision. It is important to check the warnings and recommendations of local authorities and civil protection to ensure your safety during your stay.

“Mexico is a beautiful country with a lot to offer visitors, but in situations like this, it is essential to prioritize safety. For when you postpone your trip, we will be here to help you with future experiences in Mexico when conditions are safer.”

Is it safe to travel to Mexico right now?

Hurricane Otis path tracker: Where will the storm hit next?

Thursday 26 October 2023 14:00 , Martha Mchardy

Heavy rain from Otis will continue to impact areas of southwest Mexico across Guerrero and Oaxaca states, and may also cause “life-threatening coastal flooding” through Thursday, NHC said.

Martha McHardy reports:

Hurricane Otis path tracker: Where will the storm hit next?

Acapulco cut off by Cat-5 Hurricane Otis which caught forecasters by surprise

Thursday 26 October 2023 14:30 , Martha Mchardy

A “nightmare scenario” struck shortly after midnight in the coastal city of Acapulco on Wednesday.

Hurricane Otis roared ashore in southern Mexico, the strongest-ever storm to make landfall on the country’s west coast.

The hurricane underwent explosive intensification from a Category 1 to Category 5 in just 12 hours in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, catching forecasters by surprise. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) described it as a “nightmare scenario” for the region.

Louise Boyle reports:

Acapulco cut off by Cat-5 Hurricane Otis which caught forecasters by surprise

Latest pictures: Destruction caused by Hurricane Otis

Thursday 26 October 2023 15:00 , Martha Mchardy

At least 27 dead in Acapulco after Otis

Thursday 26 October 2023 15:31 , Martha Mchardy

At least 27 people are dead after Hurricane Otis, Mexican officials said on Thursday.

“Unfortunately, we received word from the state and city governments that 27 people are dead and four are missing,” Secretary of State for Security Rosa Icela Rodriguez told a news conference in Mexico City.

She said communications with Acapulco were being gradually restored.

Main road connecting Acapulco to Mexico City partially reopens

Thursday 26 October 2023 15:37 , Martha Mchardy

The main road connecting Acapulco to Mexico City has reopened in one direction, Secretary of State for Security Rosa Icela Rodriguez said.

The road was closed after Hurricane Otis ripped through Acapulco yesterday, destroying many buildings.

Communications were also down in the city overnight, with many still without power on Thursday.

Four missing after ‘catastrophic’ Hurricane Otis

Thursday 26 October 2023 15:40 , Martha Mchardy

At least four people are missing after Hurricane Otis ripped through Acapulco, Mexican officials said on Thursday.

Secretary of State for Security Rosa Icela Rodriguez said at least 27 people have died, while four are missing after 165mph winds ripped through Acapulco yesterday.

One soldier among dead after ‘wall collapsed on him'

Thursday 26 October 2023 16:03 , Martha Mchardy

At least one soldier is among the 27 people dead in Acapulco after a Category 5 hurricane ripped through the city.

Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador did not share details about those who died, but said one soldier was killed in the hurricane after a wall collapsed on him.

At least four people are missing.

Not a single powerline left standing in Acapulco after Hurricane Otis

Thursday 26 October 2023 16:14 , Martha Mchardy

Not a single powerline was left standing in the Mexican city of Acapulco after Hurricane Otis ripped through the city, Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador said.

Millions of people in Acapulco were left without power after 165mph winds hammered the city yesterday.

President López Obrador added that small farmers had their corn crops devastated by Otis.

He said restoring power to the city is the top priority.

Mexican President gets stuck in mud as he visits Acapulco

Thursday 26 October 2023 17:04 , Martha Mchardy

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador travelled to Acapulco on Thursday, where at least 27 people died in a category 5 hurricane.

Mr López Obrador’s car became stuck in the mud as he tried to get over the highway.

He had to get out of the car to walk after debris from a mudslide blocked the way.

“The army is bringing machinery and we’re going to try to reopen [the highway] as soon as possible,” he said.

It came after Acapulco residents expressed their dissatisfaction at the speed of rescue efforts.

Residents have also described looting taking place at local shops after families lost their homes and important documents in the hurricane.

“When is the government ever going to look after the common people?” one resident said.

Powerful winds and heavy rainfall have ravaged the city after Hurricane Otis made landfall in Acapulco just after midnight in the city, causing flooding and landslides.

Tens of thousands were also left without power after the hurricane destroyed all the city’s powerlines.

Latest pictures from Acapulco after Hurricane Otis

Thursday 26 October 2023 17:30 , Martha Mchardy

ICYMI: Hurricane Otis leaves 27 dead in Acapulco after devastating Category-5 storm

Thursday 26 October 2023 18:00 , Martha Mchardy

At least 27 people are dead and four are missing in Acapulco after a “nightmare” Category-5 hurricane, Mexican officials said on Thursday.

Hurricane Otis roared ashore shortly after midnight on Wednesday with 165mph winds and torrential rainfall, slamming into the coastal city where residents had little time to evacuate or prepare.

“Unfortunately, we received word from the state and city governments that 27 people are dead and four are missing,” said Secretary of State for Security Rosa Icela Rodriguez, according to AFP.

Louise Boyle reports:

Hurricane Otis leaves 27 dead in Acapulco after Category-5 storm

Scientists investigating why Otis caught them so off-guard

Thursday 26 October 2023 18:55 , Louise Boyle

In the wake of Hurricane Otis, scientists were trying to piece together how everyone had been caught so off-guard, even as forecasting models have gotten better in the past few years.

“The models completely blew it,” MIT atmospheric sciences professor Kerry Emanuel, a hurricane expert, told The AP.

A rapid analysis, from an international team of scientists at the ClimaMeter group, reported on Thursday that the climate crisis contributed to make the rainfall in Hurricane Otis more intense.

The rapid and unexpected intensification of Otis left the scientific community in “awe”, said Stavros Dafis, a research and development specialist at the Data4Risk company in France and a research associate at the National Observatory of Athens.

Record-breaking ocean temperatures are fuelling stronger and more destructive cyclones in general. This heat is being caused by a fossil-fuel-driven climate crisis with El Nino, a cyclical weather pattern, layered on top.

Mexican government evacuating tourists trapped in Acapulco following Hurricane Otis

Thursday 26 October 2023 19:15 , Graig Graziosi

Hurricane Otis’s surprise rapid intensification from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane in less than 12 hours caught not only researchers off-guard, but also the tourists visiting Acapulco earlier this week.

In the wake of the monster storm — which killed 27 people and left four others missing — the Mexican government has had its hands full managing clean-up efforts and the evacuation of tourists left in the blown-out hulls of hotels in the city.

Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado said her office is “supporting tourists” with “30 to 40 trucks that are outside hotels to evacuate (visitors) to other areas free of charge,” according to CNN.

Approximately 80 per cent of the city’s hotels were damaged by the storm, according to Ms Salgado.

Hurricane Otis devastates Acapulco as survivors take stock of their ‘destroyed’ city

Thursday 26 October 2023 19:43 , Graig Graziosi

Watch: The devastation wrought by Hurricane Otis

Thursday 26 October 2023 20:00 , Graig Graziosi

A video captured the destruction left by Hurricane Otis when it made landfall in Acapulco, Mexico.

The footage, shot from a car driving down a city street, shows blown out windows, rubble, and the cracked and damage exteriors of buildings left in the storm’s wake.

Before and after photos show the damage Hurricane Otis did to a brand new high-rise apartment building in Acapulco.

Thursday 26 October 2023 20:30 , Graig Graziosi

The photos show the towering apartment complex prior to the hurricane’s arrival sporting rows of gleaming, pristine windows. The second photo, taken after the storm’s arrival, shows the extent of the damage done to the new build. Nearly all of the windows have been completely blown out.

It is unclear how much of the interiors of the apartments were finished when the storm hit, but it is likely the interiors were also soaked by rainwater and subject to more than 150mph winds at the time of the storm’s arrival.

Hurricane Otis’s approach to Mexico was ‘very rare’

Thursday 26 October 2023 20:53 , Graig Graziosi

Hurricane Otis made landfall on Wednesday, battering the Pacific-coast city of Acapulco, Mexico with Category 5 winds.

The hurricane was notable not just for its rapid intensification from a Category 1 to a Category 5 storm in just 12 hours, but also for where it hit; hurricanes rarely make landfall on Mexico’s Pacific coast.

The last hurricane to hit on the Pacific coast within 50 miles of Acapulco was the Category 1 Hurricane Max in 2017, according to NOAA data.

“It’s very rare for intense storms to make landfall in Mexico’s eastern Pacific side,” Suzana Camargo, hurricane expert and professor at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, told CNN.

Mexican austerity measures cut disaster relief spending in 2021

Thursday 26 October 2023 21:34 , Graig Graziosi

In 2021, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration cut funding to the nation’s Natural Disaster Fund, which was established to help pay for emergency relief and disaster response efforts following major incidents.

Two years later, Mexico is facing the partial destruction of a major city due to Hurricane Otis, and has been forced to respond without its disaster funding pool intact.

Mr López Obrador justified the cut at the time by claiming it was “an instrument riddled with corruption,” and whose funds did not “reach the people.”

The fund was at one time considered one of the world’s most advanced financial instruments for responding to disasters, according to The New York Times.

Atlantic hurricanes are intensifying faster due to the climate crisis

Thursday 26 October 2023 22:00 , Graig Graziosi

Hurricane Otis was notable for catching researchers off-guard with its rapid intensification from a Category 1 storm to a Category 5 storm in just under 12 hours.

Unfortunately, the climate crisis may make such events more frequent.

A recent study published in Nature’s journal Scientific Reports found that tropical storms forming in the Atlantic intensified nearly 29% more quickly on average between 2001 and 2020 than similar storms did 30 years earlier.

Hurricanes intensify over warm water — as Hurricane Otis did off the coast of Acapulco just before it made landfall — and the climate crisis is the leading contributor to warming global water temperatures.

The Earth’s oceans have absorbed more than 90 per cent of the heat created by the human burning of fossil fuels, driving global temperatures to record highs.

While the climate crisis may not necessarily cause more hurricanes, it is making them stronger and more unpredictable.

Veteran Weather Channel hurricane expert Jim Cantore says he ‘never saw it coming’ when commenting on Hurricane Otis

Thursday 26 October 2023 23:00 , Graig Graziosi

Jim Cantore, a meteorologist who has spent decades covering hurricanes on the ground for the Weather Channel, said he “never saw it coming” while discussing the intensity of Hurricane Otis.

The hurricane underwent rapid intensification from a Category 1 to Category 5 storm in just under 12 hours, after which it hit Acapulco and killed 27 people.

Footage from the city show portions of it in ruins. Buildings crumbled and windows were blown out of storefronts, businesses, and residences.

New House Speaker’s previous committee once called the Green New Deal the ‘Greedy New Steal’

Friday 27 October 2023 00:00 , Graig Graziosi

On the same day Hurricane Otis slammed into Acapulco with 165mph winds, killing 27 and causing widespread damage throughout the Mexican city, House Republicans in the US elected Congressman Mike Johnson to serve as the new Speaker of the House.

The hurricane underwent rapid intensification, transforming from a Category 1 storm to a Category 5 storm in just under 12 hours, catching researchers completely off-guard.

The ongoing climate crisis is driving global water temperatures to record highs, and those temperatures help to fuel the rapid intensification of hurricanes into monsters like Otis.

In 2019, when Mr Johnson was chairing the Republican Study Committee, the group collectively sneered at the Green New Deal, a proposal intended to help take rigorous steps to combat the climate crisis.

The group mocked the proposal, calling it the “Greedy New Steal.”

Hurricane Otis may have set record for most people to experience a Category 5 hurricane at one time

Friday 27 October 2023 01:00 , Graig Graziosi

Because Hurricane Otis’s eyewall — the most powerful part of the storm — was directly over Acapulco when it made landfall on Wednesday, it may have set a record for the most number of people to experience a Category 5 storm at one time, according to former NOAA hurricane scientist Jeff Masters.

The population of Acapulco is just over a million people.

WATCH: Hurricane Otis winds blast through Acapulco hospital after storm makes landfall in Mexico

Friday 27 October 2023 02:00 , Graig Graziosi

Friday 27 October 2023 03:00 , Graig Graziosi

Acapulco cut off by Cat-5 Hurricane Otis which caught forecasters by surprise

A “nightmare scenario” struck shortly after midnight in the coastal city of Acapulco on Wednesday.

Hurricane Otis roared ashore in southern Mexico, the strongest-ever storm to make landfall on the country’s west coast.

The hurricane underwent explosive intensification from a Category 1 to Category 5 in just 12 hours in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, catching forecasters by surprise. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) described it as a “nightmare scenario” for the region.

Louise Boyle reports:

Acapulco cut off by Cat-5 Hurricane Otis which caught forecasters by surprise

Hurricane Otis path tracker: Where will the storm hit next?

Friday 27 October 2023 04:00 , Graig Graziosi

Heavy rain from Otis will continue to impact areas of southwest Mexico across Guerrero and Oaxaca states, and may also cause “life-threatening coastal flooding” through Thursday, NHC said.

Martha McHardy reports:

Hurricane Otis path tracker: Where will the storm hit next?

WATCH: At least 27 killed after Hurricane Otis slams into Mexico’s Acapulco

Friday 27 October 2023 04:59 , Graig Graziosi

Four missing after ‘catastrophic’ Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 06:00 , Graig Graziosi

At least four people are missing after Hurricane Otis ripped through Acapulco, Mexican officials said on Thursday.

Secretary of State for Security Rosa Icela Rodriguez said at least 27 people have died, while four are missing after 165mph winds ripped through Acapulco yesterday.

Not a single powerline left standing in Acapulco after Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 07:00 , Graig Graziosi

Not a single powerline was left standing in the Mexican city of Acapulco after Hurricane Otis ripped through the city, Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador said.

Millions of people in Acapulco were left without power after 165mph winds hammered the city yesterday.

President López Obrador added that small farmers had their corn crops devastated by Otis.

He said restoring power to the city is the top priority.

ICYMI: Mexican President gets stuck in mud as he visits Acapulco

Friday 27 October 2023 08:00 , Graig Graziosi

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador travelled to Acapulco on Thursday, where at least 27 people died in a category 5 hurricane.

Mr López Obrador’s car became stuck in the mud as he tried to get over the highway.

He had to get out of the car to walk after debris from a mudslide blocked the way.

“The army is bringing machinery and we’re going to try to reopen [the highway] as soon as possible,” he said.

It came after Acapulco residents expressed their dissatisfaction at the speed of rescue efforts.

Residents have also described looting taking place at local shops after families lost their homes and important documents in the hurricane.

“When is the government ever going to look after the common people?” one resident said.

Powerful winds and heavy rainfall have ravaged the city after Hurricane Otis made landfall in Acapulco just after midnight in the city, causing flooding and landslides.

Tens of thousands were also left without power after the hurricane destroyed all the city’s powerlines.

Images show destruction of city streets, shopping centre in Acapulco following Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 09:00 , Graig Graziosi

Scientists investigating why Otis caught them so off-guard

Friday 27 October 2023 10:00 , Graig Graziosi

In the wake of Hurricane Otis, scientists were trying to piece together how everyone had been caught so off-guard, even as forecasting models have gotten better in the past few years.

“The models completely blew it,” MIT atmospheric sciences professor Kerry Emanuel, a hurricane expert, told The AP.

A rapid analysis, from an international team of scientists at the ClimaMeter group, reported on Thursday that the climate crisis contributed to make the rainfall in Hurricane Otis more intense.

The rapid and unexpected intensification of Otis left the scientific community in “awe”, said Stavros Dafis, a research and development specialist at the Data4Risk company in France and a research associate at the National Observatory of Athens.

Record-breaking ocean temperatures are fuelling stronger and more destructive cyclones in general. This heat is being caused by a fossil-fuel-driven climate crisis with El Nino, a cyclical weather pattern, layered on top.

Fears grow for people still missing in Acapulco after storm killed 27

Friday 27 October 2023 10:14 , Martha Mchardy

Fears are growing for the four people missing in Acapulco after a “nightmare” Category-5 hurricane ripped through the city.

At least 27 people are dead and four people are missing after Hurricane Otis brought 165mph winds and torrential rainfall to Acapulco on Wednesday.

Flora Contreras Santos, a housewife who lives on the outskirts of the city, told of her fear after her three-year-old neighbor was swept away from her mother in a mudslide.

“The mountain came down on them. The mud took her from the mother’s arms,” she told the Associated Press. “We need help, the mother is in bad shape and we can’t find the girl.”

Meanwhile, Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado Pineda announced the establishment of a WhatsApp line to help people contact their families after communications went down in Acapulco on Wednesday.

“Countrymen and women, we know that, as a result of the damage to the satellite network, contact with our families is limited and in some cases has not been possible. Therefore, at this time I make the following contacts available to you exclusively to send messages via WhatsApp, in order to facilitate the immediate search for your families,” she said in a post on X.

Losses caused by Hurricane Otis could total up to $15billion

Friday 27 October 2023 10:40 , Martha Mchardy

The “insurable” loss from Hurricane Otis could total up to $15 billion, according to risk analytics and modelling firm CoreLogic.

The firm estimated that losses could be between $10 and $15 billion after 165mph winds destroyed many buildings in Acapulco.

The estimate does not include business interruptions or costs associated with additional living expenses.

Approximately 80 per cent of the city’s hotels were damaged by the storm, according to Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado Pineda.

Mexican government evacuating tourists trapped in Acapulco following Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 11:00 , Graig Graziosi

Hurricane Otis’s surprise rapid intensification from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane in less than 12 hours caught not only researchers off-guard, but also the tourists visiting Acapulco earlier this week.

In the wake of the monster storm — which killed 27 people and left four others missing — the Mexican government has had its hands full managing clean-up efforts and the evacuation of tourists left in the blown-out hulls of hotels in the city.

Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado said her office is “supporting tourists” with “30 to 40 trucks that are outside hotels to evacuate (visitors) to other areas free of charge,” according to CNN.

Approximately 80 per cent of the city’s hotels were damaged by the storm, according to Ms Salgado.

Watch: Footage shows damage to Acapulco International Airport after Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 11:15 , Martha Mchardy

Footage shows the damage caused to the control tower of the Acapulco International Airport after Hurricane Otis ripped through the city on Wednesday.

The video, posted to X, showed the airport’s control tower almost completely destroyed after 165mph winds battered Acapulco on Wednesday.

The hurricane also destroyed many homes, as well 80 per cent of the city’s hotels and all the city’s power lines.

Otis is the strongest ever storm to make landfall on Mexico’s west coast. The hurricane underwent explosive intensification from a Category 1 to Category 5 in just 12 hours, catching forecasters by surprise. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) described it as a “nightmare scenario” for the region.

Latest pictures of devastation caused by Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 11:40 , Martha Mchardy

Hurricane Otis’s approach to Mexico was ‘very rare’

Friday 27 October 2023 12:00 , Graig Graziosi

Hurricane Otis made landfall on Wednesday, battering the Pacific-coast city of Acapulco, Mexico with Category 5 winds.

The hurricane was notable not just for its rapid intensification from a Category 1 to a Category 5 storm in just 12 hours, but also for where it hit; hurricanes rarely make landfall on Mexico’s Pacific coast.

The last hurricane to hit on the Pacific coast within 50 miles of Acapulco was the Category 1 Hurricane Max in 2017, according to NOAA data.

“It’s very rare for intense storms to make landfall in Mexico’s eastern Pacific side,” Suzana Camargo, hurricane expert and professor at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, told CNN.

Exodus from Acapulco after Hurricane Otis rips through city

Friday 27 October 2023 12:16 , Martha Mchardy

People are fleeing from Acapulco after a “catastrophic” Category 5 hurricane left hundreds of thousands of residents without homes and electricity.

At least 27 people are dead and four people are missing after Hurricane Otis brought 165mph winds and torrential rainfall to Acapulco on Wednesday.

The hurricane has seen 80 per cent of the city’s hotels destroyed, while all the city’s power lines were destroyed, leaving residents without cell phone service and water.

There is also widespread looting in the city after people were left without basic resources. “You can’t buy anything in Acapulco, not even if you want to,” one resident said.

As of Friday, large areas of Acapulco remain cut off without aid or assistance. The governor of the State of Guerrero, Evelyn Salgado, has said that 30 buses per day will be provided to evacuate tourists.

“The hotel told us that it could no longer guarantee water, food or safety,” said the Chavez family, who were staying in the Emporio hotel in Acapuulco.

“There are too many people trying to get out,” the family added. They said cab drivers are charging $25 per passenger for the journey.

Frustrations grow at slow government response to Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 12:30 , Martha Mchardy

Frustrations are growing at the slow government response to Hurricane Otis.

Survivors of the ‘catastrophic” storm fear the government response may focus on repairing infrastructure for the city’s economic engine of tourism instead of helping the neediest.

Many of Acapulco’s one million residents have been left without homes or electricity after 165mph winds battered the city on Wednesday.

People are also lacking the most basic of resources, the AP reported, with widespread looting in the city for resources such as toilet roll.

“They’re going to close these stores and that hurts Acapulco,” a labourer in the city told AP.

Meanwhile, Acapulco’s police chief Luis Enrique Vázquez Rodríguez admitted there is little that can be done to stop people from looting local stores.

“We don’t have the capacity to stop looting because there’s so many people,” he said. “This is a completely extraordinary situation.”

Some residents fear it could take a year for Acapulco to recover; with no power, gasoline, little cell coverage and hotels wrecked by the hurricane.

But some residents were more optimistic. Marketing expert Antonio Esparza said the hurricane may improve Acapulco because it may “force the government to pay attention.”

Otis is the strongest ever storm to make landfall on Mexico’s west coast. The storm destroyed 80 per cent of the city’s hotels and all of the city’s power lines, leaving hundreds of thousands without power and cell phone service.

As of Thursday, there were 250,000 homes and businesses still without electricity.

Mexican austerity measures cut disaster relief spending in 2021

Friday 27 October 2023 13:00 , Graig Graziosi

In 2021, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration cut funding to the nation’s Natural Disaster Fund, which was established to help pay for emergency relief and disaster response efforts following major incidents.

Two years later, Mexico is facing the partial destruction of a major city due to Hurricane Otis, and has been forced to respond without its disaster funding pool intact.

Mr López Obrador justified the cut at the time by claiming it was “an instrument riddled with corruption,” and whose funds did not “reach the people.”

The fund was at one time considered one of the world’s most advanced financial instruments for responding to disasters, according to The New York Times.

Before and after image shows extent of damage to Acapulco after Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 13:30 , Martha Mchardy

Satellite images provided by Maxar Technollogies show the extent of the damage to Acapulco’s coastline caused by Hurricane Otis.

The bottom image shows the city’s coastline after the “catastrophic” Category 5 hurricane destroyed much of Acapulco.

Other images show damaged boats in Acapulco Bay and the damage caused to the La Poza neighborhood caused by 165mph winds and torrential rain.

Residents fear it could take a year for Acapulco to recover from Hurricane Otis.

Half of electricity service restored to Guerrero

Friday 27 October 2023 13:50 , Martha Mchardy

The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) said on Friday it had restored 50% of the electricity service in Guerrero, “despite the access and communication obstacles encountered by the state-owned company’s staff”.

Hundreds of thousands of residents in Acapulco were left without electricity, cell phone service or running water after 165mph winds destroyed all of the city’s power lines.

Air bridge between Acapulco and Mexico City to be set up to evacuate tourists

Friday 27 October 2023 13:56 , Martha Mchardy

An air bridge between Acapulco and Mexico City will be set up on Friday to evacuate tourists, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport said, after announcing the control tower at Acapulco International Airport was back in operation.

It comes amid an exodus of tourists from Acapulco after a Category 5 hurricane ripped through the city on Wednesday, destroying homes and 80 per cent of the hotels in the region.

Two vessels are also en route to Acapulco carrying two water purification plants, a mobile kitchenette, four power plants, and two motor pumps, the Mexican Secretary of the Navy (Semar) said, after 165mph winds left residents without electricity or water.

Atlantic hurricanes are intensifying faster due to the climate crisis

Friday 27 October 2023 14:00 , Graig Graziosi

Hurricane Otis was notable for catching researchers off-guard with its rapid intensification from a Category 1 storm to a Category 5 storm in just under 12 hours.

Unfortunately, the climate crisis may make such events more frequent.

A recent study published in Nature’s journal Scientific Reports found that tropical storms forming in the Atlantic intensified nearly 29% more quickly on average between 2001 and 2020 than similar storms did 30 years earlier.

Hurricanes intensify over warm water — as Hurricane Otis did off the coast of Acapulco just before it made landfall — and the climate crisis is the leading contributor to warming global water temperatures.

The Earth’s oceans have absorbed more than 90 per cent of the heat created by the human burning of fossil fuels, driving global temperatures to record highs.

While the climate crisis may not necessarily cause more hurricanes, it is making them stronger and more unpredictable.

Watch: Infrared satellite shows ‘extremely dangerous’ Hurricane Otis make landfall in Mexico

Friday 27 October 2023 14:30 , Martha Mchardy

Why did Hurricane Otis rapidly intensify into a Category 5 overnight?

Friday 27 October 2023 15:00 , Martha Mchardy

Hurricane Otis slammed into Mexico early on Wednesday as the strongest-ever storm to make landfall on the country’s west coast.

Otis went from a Category 1 to Category 5 hurricane in only 12 hours — the fastest rate ever recorded in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the eye of Otis made landfall close to the resort town of Acapulco around 12.25am local time with winds of 165mph. Forecasters described it as “a nightmare scenario” for southern Mexico.

Martha McHardy reports:

Why did Hurricane Otis rapidly intensify into a Category 5 overnight?

Watch: Hurricane Otis winds blast through Acapulco hospital after storm makes landfall in Mexico

Friday 27 October 2023 15:30 , Martha Mchardy

Hurricane Otis: Latest pictures

Friday 27 October 2023 16:10 , Martha Mchardy

Watch: Hurricane Otis Leaves Trail Of Destruction In Acapulco

Friday 27 October 2023 16:40 , Martha Mchardy

Mexican President says he was warned in advance about Hurricane Otis and denies there will be a curfew

Friday 27 October 2023 17:04 , Martha Mchardy

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he was warned in advance about Hurricane Otis.

“Yes, I was notified in advance,” he admitted at a press conference today.

He also denied that authorities are overwhelmed by the situation in Acapulco, and denied that there will be a curfew.

‘House-to-house’ census to begin in Acapulco to assess damage caused by Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 17:11 , Martha Mchardy

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrado said a “house-to-house” census will begin today in Acapulco to assess the extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Otis.

“Everyone will receive support, more than 400.000 houses will be visited,” he said at a press conference.

Mexico’s president cut disaster fund two years before Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 17:30 , Martha Mchardy

Two years before Hurricane Otis ripped through Guerrero State, Mexico cut its disaster relief fund.

The decision has left much uncertainty on how the region will recover from the Category 5 storm which left 27 people dead and at least $10billion in damage in the city of Acapulco and neighboring villages.

Mexico’s Fund for Natural Disasters, known as Fonden, was set up in the late Nineties, taking a small portion of the federal budget in order to rapidly respond to natural disasters. It was widely admired as a progressive move.

Martha McHardy reports:

Mexico’s president cut disaster fund two years before Hurricane Otis

Latest pictures from Acapulco after Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 18:00 , Graig Graziosi

Bishops in Mexico call for help for people affected by Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 18:30 , Martha Mchardy

Bishops in Mexico have urged assistance for those affected by Hurricane Otis after the Category 5 hurricane ripped through part of the country on Sunday.

Hurricane Otis brought 165mph winds and torrential rainfall to Acapulco on Wednesday, leaving thousands without water and electricity.

“We are aware of the pain and anguish that overwhelms thousands of families who have lost their homes, property and livelihoods in these disaster areas. Many localities suffered serious damage to infrastructure, and found themselves prevented from accessing essential services,” the Mexican bishops’ conference said in a statement.

“In these difficult times, we call for unity and fraternity among Mexicans. We urge the provision of generous assistance for those affected, especially the poorest and most vulnerable. May no one remain indifferent to the suffering of others,” the statement continued.

Hurricanes are getting stronger. Here’s why

Friday 27 October 2023 19:00 , Martha Mchardy

Hurricane Otis slammed into Mexico early on Wednesday as the strongest ever storm to make landfall on the country’s west coast.

Otis went from a Category 1 to Category 5 hurricane in just 12 hours — the fastest rate ever recorded in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

The storm made landfall near Acapulco and is moving north-northwest through the country.

As global temperatures increase and sea levels rise, tropical cyclones - the catch-all term for hurricanes and typhoons - are expected to become more powerful and destructive, scientists say.

Louise Boyle reports:

Hurricanes are getting stronger. Here’s why

Watch: Before-and-after satellite images showcase the destruction of Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 19:30 , Martha Mchardy

‘We hid in the bathroom for hours’: A tourist recounts their experience during Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 20:00 , Graig Graziosi

A tourist staying in Acapulco when Hurricane Otis made landfall Wednesday as a massive Category 5 storm recalled how she hid for hours in her room to ride out the surprise weather event.

“We hid in the bathroom for hours,” Adelita Jiménez, 42, told NPR. She and her husband were with their two teenage children visiting Acapulco for a family reunion when the storm hit. “We just held onto each other. We didn’t know if we would survive.”

Tourists searched through the partially destroyed city for food following the storm.

The Mexican government deployed trucks on Thursday to help evacuate tourists from the city.

13,000 troops deployed to Acapulco after Hurricane Otis as president calls on desperate populace not to loot businesses

Friday 27 October 2023 20:30 , Graig Graziosi

The Mexican government has deployed 13,000 troops to Acapulco to help manage the recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Otis, which devastated the city when it made landfall as a Category 5 storm on Wednesday.

Vehicles have been deployed to help evacuate stranded tourists while responders work to deliver food and provisions to the city’s residents.

Meanwhile, Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador held a press conference on Friday morning to urge residents — who are growing increasingly depserate for food, water, and other basic provisions — not to loot businesses as they struggle in the wake of the storm.

Acapulco residents, claiming they’ve received little in government assistance, resort to looting for critical medication, basic provisions

Friday 27 October 2023 21:00 , Graig Graziosi

Residents in Acapulco have reportedly had to resort to looting for necessary medications and basic provisions in the wake of Hurricane Otis, which devastated the city when it made landfall Wedensday as a Category 5 storm.

Acapulco residents have complained that they’ve received little in the way of government assistance in the immediate aftermath of the storm.

“We came to get ice because we have meat and fish at home and it’s gonna go off,” Olivia Bautista, 48, told NPR outside a convenience store in the city. “I’ve never stolen anything in my life. This is so terrible. We have money but there’s nowhere to buy.”

NPR noted in its reporting that its team on the ground did not see a single store open to sell provisions to residents.

Another man told the outlet that he had spent hours trekking around the partially-destroyed city in search of medication for aunt, who was recently released from a cancer ward.

“People are desperate but they are taking whatever they can, even if they don’t need it,” Manuel Magallón told NPR. “My aunt really needs this medication. It’s disappointing.”

World-renown chef Jose Andreas heads to Acapulco to help feed victims of Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 21:30 , Graig Graziosi

Jose Andreas, a world-renown chef known for providing food and assistance in the wake of global disasters through his World Central Kitchen program, announced on Friday he was headed to Acapulco to assist in the relief efforts underway.

“@WCKitchen on the way now to support after #HurricaneOtis! We’re bringing helicopters full of sandwiches & water. Its still very early after the storm & not possible to land in Acapulco..but we’ll do whatever we can..fly..drive to help communities immediately! #ChefsForMexico,“ Mr Andreas tweeted on Friday.

Quarter of a million still without power in Acapulco following Hurricane Otis

Friday 27 October 2023 23:00 , Graig Graziosi

Nearly a quarter of a million power customers in Acapulco — in a city of 1 million — are still without power following the devastating Hurricane Otis.

The storm made landfall on Wednesday as a Category 5 storm and destroyed much of the city, leaving much of its residents in the dark as crews continue to work to restore power.

More than 13,000 federal troops have been deployed to the city to help manage the relief efforts, though many living in Acapulco have been forced to turn to looting to find basic provisions as they await assistance.

‘Nobody has helped us’: Desperation in Acapulco as residents await assistance after Hurricane Otis

Saturday 28 October 2023 00:00 , Graig Graziosi

Residents in Acapulco expressed their desperation two days after Hurricane Otis made landfall as a Category 5 storm, leaving much of the city without power and many with no means of buying food or procuring potable water.

“Nobody has helped us,” José Castro, a 29-year-old graphic designer who is stranded in the city told the LA Times. “Really, this has been the worst experience of my life.”

Amalia Garrido, 63, who was visiting the city to celebrate her grandson’s birthday when the storm hit, said she was “afraid.”

There is no water here, there is no food,” she told the LA Times. “People are stealing everywhere.”

She recalled seeing the destruction of the city’s hotel district in the wake of the storm.

“It makes you want to cry because everything is so ugly, so destroyed,” she said.

WATCH: Hurricane Otis leaves trail of destruction in Acapulco

01:00 , Graig Graziosi

Mexico’s leader under fire after Hurricane Otis devastates Acapulco

01:31 , Graeme Massie

Officials put the death toll at 27 people – although there are fears it could be higher as a desperate search for loved ones continued.

Mexico’s leader under fire after Hurricane Otis devastates Acapulco

Latest images out of Acapulco

02:00 , Graig Graziosi

Acapulco hotel guest describes terror of ‘nightmare’ Hurricane Otis

02:33 , Graeme Massie

‘Many people had their roofs fall on them, others were crushed by palm trees. The government never warned of the hurricane’.

Acapulco hotel guest describes terror of ‘nightmare’ Hurricane Otis

Hundreds reportedly still searching for missing loved ones in Acapulco amid Hurricane Otis wreckage

03:00 , Graig Graziosi

Two days after Hurricane Otis made landfall in Acapulco as a Category 5 storm, hundreds are reportedly still searching for their missing loved ones among the rubble.

Arturo Villalobos told Noticias Telemundo that he was still trying to contact his wife and four children.

“I’m in another state, I can’t do anything,” he said. “I just want to know how they are.”

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said “even though the death of any person is unfortunate, there weren’t very many,” during a press conference on Friday. The official death count from the storm has not changed from the initial report of 27 killed, but there have been reports of unrecovered bodies in parts of the city that may eventually add to that count, according to NBC News.

In the meantime, those with missing loved ones in the city have taken to online messaging platforms to post the names and photos of indivudals in the hope that other posters have seen them alive in the city.

Acapulco left decimated after Hurricane Otis

03:34 , Graeme Massie

Government workers in Acapulco to go house-to-house to determine families needs

04:00 , Graig Graziosi

Mexican government officials reportedly began going door-to-door in Acapulco on Friday to assess the needs of residents struggling after the destruction wrought by Hurricane Otis on Wednesday.

The Category 5 storm left half of the city without power, and many with no means of procuring food or potable water.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said 10,000 “packages” of appliances and home goods including refrigerators, stoves, and mattresses have been collected by the government for disbursment to residents in need.

The population of Acapulco is approximately 1 million.

WATCH: Before-and-after satellite images showcase the destruction of Hurricane Otis

04:59 , Graig Graziosi

06:00 , Graig Graziosi

Mexico’s president cut disaster fund two years before Hurricane Otis

Two years before Hurricane Otis ripped through Guerrero State, Mexico cut its disaster relief fund.

The decision has left much uncertainty on how the region will recover from the Category 5 storm which left 27 people dead and at least $10billion in damage in the city of Acapulco and neighboring villages.

Mexico’s Fund for Natural Disasters, known as Fonden, was set up in the late Nineties, taking a small portion of the federal budget in order to rapidly respond to natural disasters. It was widely admired as a progressive move.

Martha McHardy reports:

Mexico’s president cut disaster fund two years before Hurricane Otis

Photos from Acapulco after Hurricane Otis

07:00 , Graig Graziosi

Bishops in Mexico call for help for people affected by Hurricane Otis

08:00 , Graig Graziosi

Bishops in Mexico have urged assistance for those affected by Hurricane Otis after the Category 5 hurricane ripped through part of the country on Sunday.

Hurricane Otis brought 165mph winds and torrential rainfall to Acapulco on Wednesday, leaving thousands without water and electricity.

“We are aware of the pain and anguish that overwhelms thousands of families who have lost their homes, property and livelihoods in these disaster areas. Many localities suffered serious damage to infrastructure, and found themselves prevented from accessing essential services,” the Mexican bishops’ conference said in a statement.

“In these difficult times, we call for unity and fraternity among Mexicans. We urge the provision of generous assistance for those affected, especially the poorest and most vulnerable. May no one remain indifferent to the suffering of others,” the statement continued.

Hurricanes are getting stronger. Here’s why

09:00 , Graig Graziosi

Hurricane Otis slammed into Mexico early on Wednesday as the strongest ever storm to make landfall on the country’s west coast.

Otis went from a Category 1 to Category 5 hurricane in just 12 hours — the fastest rate ever recorded in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

The storm made landfall near Acapulco and is moving north-northwest through the country.

As global temperatures increase and sea levels rise, tropical cyclones - the catch-all term for hurricanes and typhoons - are expected to become more powerful and destructive, scientists say.

Louise Boyle reports:

Hurricanes are getting stronger. Here’s why

Acapulco residents, claiming they’ve received little in government assistance, resort to looting for critical medication, basic provisions

10:00 , Graig Graziosi

Residents in Acapulco have reportedly had to resort to looting for necessary medications and basic provisions in the wake of Hurricane Otis, which devastated the city when it made landfall Wedensday as a Category 5 storm.

Acapulco residents have complained that they’ve received little in the way of government assistance in the immediate aftermath of the storm.

“We came to get ice because we have meat and fish at home and it’s gonna go off,” Olivia Bautista, 48, told NPR outside a convenience store in the city. “I’ve never stolen anything in my life. This is so terrible. We have money but there’s nowhere to buy.”

NPR noted in its reporting that its team on the ground did not see a single store open to sell provisions to residents.

Another man told the outlet that he had spent hours trekking around the partially-destroyed city in search of medication for aunt, who was recently released from a cancer ward.

“People are desperate but they are taking whatever they can, even if they don’t need it,” Manuel Magallón told NPR. “My aunt really needs this medication. It’s disappointing.”

‘Nobody has helped us’: Desperation in Acapulco as residents await assistance after Hurricane Otis

11:00 , Graig Graziosi

Residents in Acapulco expressed their desperation two days after Hurricane Otis made landfall as a Category 5 storm, leaving much of the city without power and many with no means of buying food or procuring potable water.

“Nobody has helped us,” José Castro, a 29-year-old graphic designer who is stranded in the city told the LA Times. “Really, this has been the worst experience of my life.”

Amalia Garrido, 63, who was visiting the city to celebrate her grandson’s birthday when the storm hit, said she was “afraid.”

There is no water here, there is no food,” she told the LA Times. “People are stealing everywhere.”

She recalled seeing the destruction of the city’s hotel district in the wake of the storm.

“It makes you want to cry because everything is so ugly, so destroyed,” she said.

World-renown chef Jose Andreas heads to Acapulco to help feed victims of Hurricane Otis

12:00 , Graig Graziosi

Jose Andreas, a world-renown chef known for providing food and assistance in the wake of global disasters through his World Central Kitchen program, announced on Friday he was headed to Acapulco to assist in the relief efforts underway.

“@WCKitchen on the way now to support after #HurricaneOtis! We’re bringing helicopters full of sandwiches & water. Its still very early after the storm & not possible to land in Acapulco..but we’ll do whatever we can..fly..drive to help communities immediately! #ChefsForMexico,“ Mr Andreas tweeted on Friday.

Air bridge between Acapulco and Mexico City to be set up to evacuate tourists

13:00 , Graig Graziosi

An air bridge between Acapulco and Mexico City will be set up on Friday to evacuate tourists, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport said, after announcing the control tower at Acapulco International Airport was back in operation.

It comes amid an exodus of tourists from Acapulco after a Category 5 hurricane ripped through the city on Wednesday, destroying homes and 80 per cent of the hotels in the region.

Two vessels are also en route to Acapulco carrying two water purification plants, a mobile kitchenette, four power plants, and two motor pumps, the Mexican Secretary of the Navy (Semar) said, after 165mph winds left residents without electricity or water.

Hundreds reportedly still searching for missing loved ones in Acapulco amid Hurricane Otis wreckage

14:00 , Graig Graziosi

Two days after Hurricane Otis made landfall in Acapulco as a Category 5 storm, hundreds are reportedly still searching for their missing loved ones among the rubble.

Arturo Villalobos told Noticias Telemundo that he was still trying to contact his wife and four children.

“I’m in another state, I can’t do anything,” he said. “I just want to know how they are.”

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said “even though the death of any person is unfortunate, there weren’t very many,” during a press conference on Friday. The official death count from the storm has not changed from the initial report of 27 killed, but there have been reports of unrecovered bodies in parts of the city that may eventually add to that count, according to NBC News.

In the meantime, those with missing loved ones in the city have taken to online messaging platforms to post the names and photos of indivudals in the hope that other posters have seen them alive in the city.