Mexico struggles to recover from Hurricane Otis, death toll rises to 48

Acapulco in Mexico is grappling with a challenging recovery after Hurricane Otis, an exceptionally powerful storm that caused significant devastation.

The hurricane resulted in the loss of 48 lives in southern Mexico and led to widespread issues with power, water, and phone services.

What happened

• Hurricane Otis, which struck the area on Wednesday, left many local landmarks that had stood for years looking as though they had been heavily damaged by bombs.
• On Sunday, the death toll from the hurricane rose as five more people were confirmed dead in Coyuca de Benitez, a town north of Acapulco.

• Mexico's government is working diligently to assist the affected city.

• The hurricane, named Otis, made landfall in Acapulco as a Category 5 storm on Wednesday, bringing incredibly strong winds of 165 mph.

• It ravaged homes, hotels, and businesses, toppling power lines and communication systems, thereby hampering the city's nearly 900,000 residents' ability to connect with the outside world.

• People in flooded areas are distressed about the lack of government assistance, finding it challenging to procure food and water.

The count of casualties has been slow due to problems with phone and communication systems. However, these issues have gradually improved over the weekend.

Yet, survivors who were unable to reach their loved ones for days to reassure them of their safety have criticized the government's response as inadequate.

The World Meteorological Organization stated that the hurricane intensified rapidly, marking it as one of the fastest-growing storms on record. Both the government and weather forecasters were caught off guard by its swift intensification, leaving minimal time to warn and prepare the populace.

As aid began arriving over the weekend, preliminary estimates suggested that the storm's damage amounted to approximately $15 billion.

The Mexican army and navy established channels for the delivery of humanitarian aid. Water and food supplies have been distributed to the city.

Furthermore, the government mentioned that individuals requiring specialized medical care are being airlifted to hospitals in other parts of Mexico.

Acapulco faced this disaster a mere seven months before Mexico's upcoming presidential election.

President Lopez Obrador accused his critics of politicizing his response to Hurricane Otis, amplifying the situation for political motives.

Former President Felipe Calderon accused the government of labeling private aid as "government" donations.

Reports of looting surfaced, prompting the deployment of around 17,000 security personnel to the area.