Acapulco prepares for impact as Otis grows into Category 4 storm off Mexico's Pacific coast

(25 Oct 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Acapulco, Mexico - 24 October 2023
1. Various of Victor Manuel Bueno Rafaela removing beach tents
2. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Victor Manuel Bueno Rafaela, beach service provider:
"The waves rise all the way up to here and then nobody else can come at this hour or later, because there aren't even lifeguards at this time."
3. Beachgoers watching sea under light rain
4. Various of businesswoman Estela Nava watching darkening sky over sea
5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Estela Nava, Acapulco businesswoman:
"So I'm heading home already because you can't walk outside today. I noticed that in the afternoon it was already cloudy and now it has intensified, and we think that the storm is probably going to hit here."
6. Various of workers removing beach chairs
7. Various of National Guard soldiers patrolling beach
8. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Renato Pila Pintor, Guerrero state Risk Management Office coordinator:
"We are inviting the population to leave because the hurricane is already Category 3 (later upgraded further), so it can cause a strong surge and heavy rains."
9. Darkening sky over Acapulco beach
10. Various of workers removing beach tents
STORYLINE:
Otis strengthened from a tropical storm to a dangerous Category 4 hurricane in a matter of hours Tuesday as it approached Mexico’s southern Pacific coast.

The weather system was forecast to make landfall near the resort of Acapulco early Wednesday possibly as a catastrophic Category 5 storm.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Otis has maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 kph) early Tuesday evening.

It was centered about 85 miles (135 kilometers) south-southeast of Acapulco and moving north-northwest at 8 mph (13 kph).

The center warned that Otis would continue strengthening and could become a Category 5 hurricane with top winds above 157 mph (253 kph) before making landfall.

A hurricane warning was in effect from Punta Maldonado to Zihuatanejo.

In Acapulco, people hurried home as rain began to pelt the resort and winds picked up, driving tourists from the beach.

The Guerrero state government said it was preparing 396 shelters in anticipation of families being driven from their homes by wind damage or surging waters.

Mexico's army and navy deployed more than 8,000 troops to the area with specialized equipment to aid in rescues.

Authorities closed Acapulco's port, home to some 300 fishing boats.

Heavy rainfall is expected to raise the possibility of mudslide and flashfloods in Guerrero’s steep mountainous terrain.

AP Video shot by Antonio Castillo

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