Hurricane Otis hit Mexico’s southern Pacific coast as a devastating Category 5 hurricane early Wednesday, bringing dangerous winds and heavy rain to Acapulco and surrounding cities, stirring memories of the 1997 storm that killed dozens.
Now a Category 4 storm, the typhoon is expected to continue weakening rapidly in the steep mountains of Guerrero state.
But 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain is forecast, with as much as 15 inches (38 centimeters) in some areas, increasing the threat of landslides and flooding.
Otis was about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north-northwest of Acapulco with maximum sustained winds reduced to 130 mph (215 kph) and moving at 10 mph (17 kph).
The center of Otis is expected to move further inland in southern Mexico by Wednesday night.
Otis has strengthened rapidly, from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in 12 hours on Tuesday.
Guerrero’s coastal residents scrambled to prepare, but the sudden intensity of the storm seemed to catch many off guard.
Hurricane Otis hit Mexico’s southern Pacific coast as a Category 5 hurricane early Wednesday. REUTERS This satellite image from NOAA shows Hurricane Otis approaching Mexico’s Pacific coast near Acapulco. AP
“We are on maximum alert,” Acapulco Mayor Abelina López said Tuesday night as she urged residents to hunker down at home or move to shelters in the city.
Otis was stronger than Hurricane Pauline that hit Acapulco in 1997, López said.
Pauline devastated the city and killed more than 200 people.
Hurricane Otis brought dangerous winds and heavy rain to Acapulco and surrounding towns, mirroring the 1997 storm that killed dozens. AP Now a Category 4 storm, the hurricane is expected to continue to weaken rapidly. AFP via Getty Images
Hundreds of others were injured in floods and landslides.
Between the internationally famous resorts of Acapulco and Zihuatanejo are two dozen small towns and villages nestled between the mountains and the ocean.
Otis’ arrival comes just days after Hurricane Norma hit the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula in the north.
“We are on maximum alert,” Acapulco Mayor Abelina López. David Guzman/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock López urged residents to hunker down at home or move to shelters in the city as the typhoon wreaks havoc in the area. Reuters
Acapulco is a city of more than 1 million people at the foot of a steep mountain.
Luxury homes and slums cover the city’s hillsides with sparkling views of the Pacific.
Guerrero is one of Mexico’s poorest and most violent states.
Just Monday, a local police chief and 12 police officers were massacred and found on the highway in El Papayo, located in the Guerrero municipality of Coyuca de Benitez not far from the Otis impact zone.
The center of Otis is expected to move further inland in southern Mexico by Wednesday night.REUTERS Workers work to clear roads in Trois-Riviere, Guadeloupe, after Hurricane Tammy. AFP via Getty Images
In the Atlantic, Hurricane Tammy continues to move northeast over open water with winds of 85 mph (140 kph) after sweeping the Lesser Antilles over the weekend.
Tammy is located about 570 miles (915 kilometers) south-southeast of Bermuda.
The storm is expected to become a strong extratropical cyclone by Thursday, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
