Hurricane Otis slammed into Mexico’s southern Pacific coast as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane early Wednesday, bringing dangerous winds and heavy rain to Acapulco and surrounding cities, evoking memories of a 1997 storm that killed dozens of people.
The hurricane, now a Category 4 storm, is expected to continue rapidly weakening in the rugged mountains of the state of Guerrero.
But rain forecasts of 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters), with up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) possible in some areas, increased the threat of mudslides and flooding.
Otis was about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Acapulco and its maximum sustained winds were decreasing to 130 mph (215 kph) and moving at 10 mph (17 kph).
The center of Otis is expected to move inland over southern Mexico through Wednesday night.
Otis had strengthened rapidly, upgrading from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in 12 hours on Tuesday.
Residents of coastal Guerrero rushed to prepare, but the storm’s sudden intensity seemed to take many by surprise.
Hurricane Otis hit Mexico’s southern Pacific coast as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane early Wednesday morning. REUTERS This NOAA satellite image shows Hurricane Otis approaching the Pacific coast of Mexico near Acapulco. AP
“We are on high alert,” Acapulco Mayor Abelina López said Tuesday night as she urged residents to shelter in place at home or move to shelters in the city.
Otis is stronger than Hurricane Pauline that hit Acapulco in 1997, Lopez said.
Pauline destroyed large areas of the city and killed more than 200 people.
Hurricane Otis brought dangerous winds and heavy rain to Acapulco and surrounding cities, mirroring a 1997 storm that killed dozens of people. AP It is now a Category 4 storm and the hurricane is expected to continue to rapidly weaken. AFP via Getty Images
Hundreds more people were injured in floods and landslides.
Between the internationally known resorts of Acapulco and Zihuatanejo are two dozen small towns and villages perched between the mountains and the ocean.
Otis’s arrival came just days after Hurricane Norma hit the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula to the north.
“We are on maximum alert,” mayor of Acapulco, Abelina López. David Guzmán/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock López urged residents to take shelter in their homes or move to the city’s shelters as the hurricane wreaks havoc in the area. REUTERS
Acapulco is a city of more than 1 million inhabitants at the foot of steep mountains.
Both luxury homes and slums line the city’s slopes overlooking the sparkling Pacific.
Guerrero is one of the most impoverished and violent states in Mexico.
Just on Monday, a local police chief and 12 police officers were massacred and found on a road in El Papayo, in the Guerrero municipality of Coyuca de Benítez, not far from the area of Otis’ impact.
The center of Otis is expected to move inland over southern Mexico through Wednesday night.REUTERS Employees work to clean the streets in Trois-Riviere, Guadeloupe, after Hurricane Tammy. AFP via Getty Images
In the Atlantic, Hurricane Tammy continued moving northeast over open waters with winds of 140 kph (85 mph) after passing over the Lesser Antilles over the weekend.
Tammy was located about 570 miles (915 kilometers) south-southeast of Bermuda.
The storm was expected to become a powerful extratropical cyclone on Thursday, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn