Hurricane Otis: Death Toll Climbs To 48; 340 People Rescued Amid Heavy Rains In Mexico

The death toll following the onslaught of Hurricane Otis in Mexico has already climbed to 48.

Authorities said that of the total number of fatalities, 43 were recorded in Acapulco de Juárez and five came from Coyuca de Benítez.

The government of Mexico said that six people have gone missing while approximately 273,884 residences have been affected by the bad weather.

Furthermore, 340 individuals have also been rescued by the authorities.

Effects Of Hurricane Otis

80% of the hotels in the area have been damaged, with 60 hotels and condominiums affected.

There were also 120 hospitals and clinics with some type of damage in Acapulco de Juárez. Meanwhile, there were 12 road closures due to falling trees, landslides, and overflowing bodies of water.

Officials said that of the road closures, nine were reported on the Chilpancingo-Acapulco highway section, of which four have partial closure in the process of being attended to, four with total closure and one has already been attended to.

On the other hand, one on the Chilpancingo-Acatlán de Osorio highway section with partial closure is already in the process of attention by authorities.

A total of 24 landslides or sinkholes in roads and highways have also been reported.

When it comes to the electrical sector, a total of 37 transmission lines, 26 electrical substations and a generation plant were out of service.

On the other hand, power service has been restored to 281,740 of the 513,524 affected users.

Authorities said that a total of 10,212 downed electrical poles were initially reported.

According to Mexico's Seismic Alert System (SASMEX), there were reported damage to 27 sensors in the Pacific Ocean region.

The Acapulco International Airport, meanwhile, also suffered damage, but operations have since resumed for passengers and tourists.

The government of Mexico said that around 10,000 military members were deployed to the Acapulco area to assist with rescue and response efforts to assist the affected individuals.

Moreover, officials said they were able to coordinate the transfer of 200 tourists farther inland to Mexico City.

Humanitarian Aid Ensured For Victims

The Mexican Red Cross said a total of 75 tons of humanitarian aid is in the process of being delivered to the Diamond zone and surrounding areas.

Furthermore, the Telmex and Telcel said that 26 tons of humanitarian aid have been deployed, including 4,000 food supplies; 4,000 mattresses; some 100 gallons of water; 4,000 blankets and eight water treatment plants.

Authorities noted that basic sanitation activities and prevention of health risks in shelters, community kitchens, central market, supply center and public hospitals.

United States President Joe Biden said he is deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation caused by Hurricane Otis this week in Mexico.

"Our hearts are with all those impacted by this terrible storm. I have directed my administration to work closely with our partners in the Government of Mexico to offer our full support. We are also working to ensure the safety of American citizens in and around Acapulco. The United States stands by Mexico - our neighbor and our friend - at this difficult time," Biden said.