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Mexico

Mexico: Hurricane Otis - DREF Operational Update (MDRMX005) (25/06/2024)

Attachments

Description of the Event

Date of event

25-10-2023

What happened, where and when?

Hurricane Otis began as an active tropical cyclone that rapidly intensified in the eastern Pacific Ocean and primarily affected the Mexican state of Guerrero. It originated from a disturbance several hundred miles south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec on 22 October 2023. By 23 October, it had developed into a tropical storm, and within just 24 hours, it had strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane by 24 October.

Rapidly intensifying as it moved over exceptionally warm ocean waters near the coast, Otis escalated from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane, the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson scale, within a mere 12-hour span. In the early hours of 25 October, Hurricane Otis struck the port of Acapulco located on the southern Pacific coast of Mexico bringing wind speeds of estimated to be 165 mph (270 km/h).

According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, Otis "was the strongest hurricane in the Eastern Pacific to make landfall in the satellite era (…) and there are no hurricanes on record even close to this intensity for this part of Mexico." After landfall, the storm weakened to a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of approximately 110 mph with stronger gusts.

Scope and Scale

Hurricane Otis brought about significant challenges to the region, including heavy rainfall, strong winds, and the resulting consequences such as flooding and landslides. In the immediate aftermath access and communication to the affected areas was completely cut off. An initial analysis of the situation notes that ”The Federal Government estimates damage to 98.2% of homes and 80% of hotels in Acapulco. According to satellite information, 4,685.20 hectares of the coastal area were affected (65%), while within the municipality, there are reported damages to 865 kilometers of roads and 2,487.30 hectares of construction. Initial estimates calculate damages at 15 billion dollars” (1). Data from Mexico‘s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) puts the total population of Acapulco and the most affected surrounding municipalities at approximately 3 million people. Initial government reports indicate, there have been 46 confirmed deaths and at least 58 individuals remain unaccounted for. Approximately 247,000 homes (988,000 people) have been damaged or destroyed. This figure only accounts for Acapulco and already represents more than 30% of the total population in the affected municipalities. Given the extensive impact of the hurricane and overall access challenges is projected that these figures will increase.

Guerrero ranks among the top 5 states with the highest poverty index in Mexico with a 66.5% poverty index. The impact of Hurricane Otis leaves an already vulnerable population in a bigger state of vulnerability. The affected region primarily relies on tourism, service, and agricultural industries as a big part of its economy which has been severely disrupted. Three of the most affected municipalities have the most populated capital cities (Acapulco de Juarez, Atoyac de Alvarez, and Benito Juarez).

Beyond these municipality capital cities, the populations in the five most affected municipalities (Acapulco de Juarez, Atoya de Alvarez, Benito Juarez, Coyuca de Benitez, and Tecpan de Galeana) are mostly rural. While limited physical and connectivity access has been established in the urban areas, many rural areas continue to remain cut off from assistance and communication.

Source:

(1) Special report: Social and political implications of hurricane otis - preliminary analysis, ingegralia consultores, 30 october 2023. https://integralia.com.mx/web/reporte-especial-huracan-otis/