The US National Hurricane Center announced that Hurricane Otis is rapidly advancing over the Pacific Ocean, and it is expected to reach the coasts of the city of Acapulco on

the west coast of Mexico within hours, and the center said that "catastrophic damage is likely to occur at the site where the eye of the hurricane will sweep" when it reaches

land.

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Edited by| Hugh Gey

 

South America  section -  CJ journalist

 

Acapulco - October,25,2023

 

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The center added that " Otis is expected to remain a Category Five hurricane when it makes landfall . It is then expected to weaken rapidly due to the high terrain of

Mexico".

Hurricane Otis became Category Five, the maximum degree of hurricanes on the Saffir-Simpson scale, and is accompanied by gusty winds exceeding a speed of 260

kilometers per hour،

In Acapulco, the army deployed units to help residents when the hurricane reached the city from a sea-front gate, and schools in the city were closed by order of the

government of the state of Guerrero, and the governor of the state, Evelyn Salgado, stressed the importance of coordination between the authorities and the armed forces to

ensure the safety of residents and"avoid risks".

Last week, Hurricane "Norma" hit the state of Sinaloa, located to the north of Guerrero, killing three people, and Hurricane "Norma" swept the Mexican mainland twice: the

first on the Baja California peninsula, the second in the state of Sinaloa.

On October 9, 1997, the city of Acapulco was hit by Hurricane Paulina, the day of which was Category IV. The devastating hurricane left more than 200 people dead that day

and subsequently became one of the most deadly natural disasters in Mexico's history, excluding earthquakes.

Mexico, located between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, is subject to numerous severe storms during the hurricane season, which runs from May to October-

November.

Many of these hurricanes are destructive, but the destruction they cause depends on the point of entry of the hurricane to land.

The strongest hurricane to ever hit the Mexican mainland was Patricia in October 2015, when it was accompanied by winds of 325 km/h, but its damage was limited to

material because its point of entry to land was through an uninhabited mountainous area.