Mexican Authorities Update Hurricane Otis Death Toll to 39

The Mexican government updated the number of fatalities to 39 this Saturday, resulting from the devastating Category 5 Hurricane Otis that impacted the southern Pacific coast, including the popular vacation spot of Acapulco, last Wednesday.

Security Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez disclosed in a video message alongside President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, uploaded to platform X, that the likely cause of death for these individuals was “asphyxiation due to drowning.” She stated that identification of the victims is still pending and that investigations are ongoing.

This revised death count signifies an increase of 12 compared to the initial figure of 27, which was reported on Thursday. The storm’s impact on human life has become a matter of dispute. Local media outlets have reported the discovery of additional bodies, while López Obrador has criticized adversaries for politicizing the tragedy.

Rodríguez further informed that the number of missing persons has escalated to 10. Hundreds of families are still waiting to hear news about their relatives.

Cleanup and relief efforts were more organized on Saturday in Acapulco. Government employees and volunteers worked diligently to clear debris from the streets. Long lines formed at gas stations, and some families were able to secure essential food items. Military forces and volunteers focused their efforts mainly on Acapulco’s principal tourist areas, removing fallen palm trees and metal signage. Partial cellphone service was restored near some of the more upscale hotels, and charging stations were set up for public use.

However, peripheral areas of the city remained in a state of disarray, lacking the government presence visible in tourist sectors. Residents, including elderly individuals, waded through muddy, inundated streets to reach warehouses discovered to be filled with food supplies.

The initial response to the disaster had been slow. Acapulco, a city of nearly one million inhabitants, was essentially cut off during the first day due to the storm’s rapid intensification, leaving little time for preemptive measures.

Rescue and recovery have been challenging tasks for the authorities. Skepticism was widespread as the initial official death toll and number of missing persons had not been updated for two days, leaving hundreds of families in suspense.

An unnamed military official indicated that the recovery of bodies was particularly difficult due to the debris covering them. In another section of the city, Orlando Mendoza, aged 46, was seen carrying food supplies for his family along a wet highway.

Volunteers from the central state of Puebla were distributing food packages to families like Mendoza’s. Meanwhile, 67-year-old Abel Montoya spent over an hour in a line for gasoline, monitored by soldiers to prevent looting, as he needed fuel to search for water and ice.

The absence of electricity has halted the operation of gas pumps, and the municipal water system is also non-operational due to power failure. The government plans to increase military presence to 15,000 in the affected regions and has established checkpoints to prevent thefts.

President López Obrador announced that electricity had been restored to 55% of the affected customers but more than 200,000 homes and businesses were still without power. According to the federal civil defense agency, approximately 220,000 residences sustained damage due to the storm.

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Contributions to this report were made by AP writer Fabiola Sánchez in Mexico City.

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More about Hurricane Otis Death Toll in Mexico

• Hurricane Categories Explained
• Official Statement by Security Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez
• President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s Address
• Emergency Response Guidelines for Natural Disasters
• Acapulco Tourism Impact Assessment
• Federal Civil Defense Agency Report
• AP Climate and Environment Coverage
• Volunteer Organizations in Natural Disasters
• Real-Time Tracking of Hurricane Otis
• Status of Electricity Restoration in Affected Areas