Death Toll Reaches 27 After Hurricane Otis Struck Mexico

“We are going there because we do not have any communication with our colleagues who have already been there for a week doing preventive work for a tropical storm and which in 12 hours became a hurricane,” said National Coordinator of Civil Protection Laura Velázquez in an interview with local news channel Milenio TV.

Although it's hard to capture the true devastation in pictures and videos, you can see some of the damage left by Otis through damaged structures and flooded roads.

Mexican National Guard personnel have been working tirelessly to clean up the area of stranded vehicles, downed trees, and debri.

Otis Gave Little Time to Prepare

In just 12 hours, Otis went from a tropical storm to a major Category 5 hurricane, giving residents and emergency crews little time to prepare for impact.

By Thursday, at least 27 have been reported dead.

Once Otis moved inland, the storm began to weaken, but rain, flooding, and mudslides are still forecast to affect the area through Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As the Acapulco International Airport recovers from Otis, it has suspended all operations, according to the office of Mexico’s Secretary of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation in a press release.

The Climate Crisis

As the planet continues to get warmer, the oceans have been feeling the effects, and rapid intensification of hurricanes are becoming more normal and frequent.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, over 90% of warming around the globe over the past 50 years has taken place in the oceans. Meanwhile, El Niño is building in the Pacific this year, rising ocean temperatures even higher.