The death toll in the state of Guerrero in the wake of one of the most powerful hurricanes ever to hit Mexico’s Pacific coast has risen to 48, with 43 people still missing, according to federal civil protection authorities.
All but five of the deaths were reported in the tourist resort of Acapulco, which bore the brunt of category five Hurricane Otis on October 25.
Three foreign citizens are among the dead, one each from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, Mexico’s Foreign Ministry said. Another 263 foreigners have been located safely, it reported.
The World Meteorological Organization described the hurricane as "one of the most rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones on record.”
No part of Acapulco was unharmed by the force of Otis. The federal government said almost 274,000 homes and businesses were affected to some degree, along with 600 hotels and condominium buildings, and 100 medical facilities, including hospitals and clinics. As of October 29, federal authorities said almost 21,000 homes and businesses in Acapulco had been evaluated for damage.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has sent 17,000 security personnel to help distribute tons of food and supplies and maintain order. Many stores were ransacked after the hurricane struck, with videos posted online of people leaving supermarkets with large-screen televisions and other electronic items.
Some reports said that organized crime groups were hijacking tractor-trailers bringing supplies into Acapulco.
The Mexican Army and National Guard have already distributed thousands of food parcels, drinking water and other supplies, not only to residents in Acapulco but also in surrounding coastal villages and communities badly affected by the hurricane.
The hurricane caused widespread water, power and telecommunications outages, which, the federal government said this weekend, are in the process of being restored. Some 1,300 workers have been drafted in by federal authorities to reestablish communications and electricity, as well as address other essential infrastructure needs.
The storm provoked 12 road closures due to landslides, as well as 24 landslides and sinkholes on roads and highways.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said cabinet members, and representatives of financial institutions and other private sector organizations will meet in Acapulco on Monday to formulate a strategy for the restoration of Acapulco.
Initial estimates put the storm's damage at around US$15 billion, with massive payouts anticipated by insurance companies.
López Obrador said financial assistance will be provided to people of limited means, such as beach vendors, whose short-term livelihoods will be affected by the hurricane’s economic aftermath.
Even with a rapid infrastructure rebuild, local authorities estimate that it could take at least two to three months before any tourists are able to return comfortably to Acapulco.