Mexico: Nearly 100 killed, missing in Hurricane Otis

Authorities in the state of Guerrero announced on Monday that the death toll from Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 storm that devastated the Mexican Pacific resort city of Acapulco last week, has risen to almost 100.

With winds reaching 165 mph (266 kph) on Wednesday, Otis severely damaged Acapulco, causing flooding, tearing off roofs from houses, hotels, and other businesses, submerging cars, and cutting off communication as well as road and aviation connections.

As the city’s nearly 900,000 inhabitants grew more and more in need of food and water, looting started.

Guerrero, the home state of Acapulco, has 45 confirmed deaths and 47 unaccounted-for deaths, according to governor Evelyn Salgado, who cited data from state prosecutors.

48 people were reported dead on Sunday afternoon by Mexico’s federal civil protection authorities. Of them, 43 were found dead in Acapulco and five in the neighbouring town of Coyuca de Benitez.

According to Guerrero’s administration, among the deceased are a Canadian, a British, and an American citizen.

Concerned that authorities were not doing enough, fishermen and crew members on tourist yachts gathered at Playa Honda in Acapulco on Sunday afternoon to search for missing friends and coworkers.

Fisherman Luis Alberto Medina said he was looking for six employees of the harbour.

“It was truly awful,” Medina remarked. “We’ve already found the bodies of others.”

Estimates of the hurricane’s damage run as high as $15 billion. Mexico has dispatched about 17,000 military personnel to Acapulco to maintain law and order and assist in distributing tonnes of food and supplies.

(With agency inputs)