Hurricane Otis in Mexico

Hurricane Otis roared ashore on Mexico's pacific coast shortly after midnight on Wednesday 25 October 2023 with 165mph winds and torrential rainfall, Acapulco was among the areas worst hit with 80% of the resort's hotels damaged and streets flooded.

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.

It took nearly a full day 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 city's port.

Acapulco's commercial and military airports were still too badly damaged to resume flights, though Mexico's president said the plan was to establish an air bridge to move in resources to help set up rescue operations.

Related News and Resources

• Download a GeoJSON file for Flooding in Urban Areas along the Acapulco Guerrero Coast, Mexico
• Download a GeoJSON file for Landslides in Urban Areas along the Acapulco Guerrero Coast, Mexico
• Download a shape file regarding this activation
• Download a shape file for new Gullies detected with Dry Bare Soil Index
• Download a variety of GIS compatible files that show Damage to Buildings in Rural Areas of Acapulco Bay, Mexico
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