At least 46 people have been reported dead and 54 others missing after a category 5 storm named Hurricane Otis hit a Mexican city, Acapulco. The catastrophe has completely paralyzed Acapulco and its residents are in dire need of humanitarian help.
Hurricane Otis hit Acapulco on Wednesday at a reported wind speed of 266 km per hour. Aside from killing and misplacing people, it flooded the city and destroyed buildings, vehicles, roads, communication channels, air connections, and ATM machines.
Residents of Acapulco are currently dealing with the devastating aftermath of the hurricane. Desperation for basic needs such as food and water has turned the muddy city into a crime zone of sorts. Stores and other facilities containing food and water have been looted and residents are also decrying being assaulted.
Related: Why and How are Hurricanes Named: What You Need to Know
The city, which has a population of 900,000 people urged the government to beef up basic needs as well as security. In response to this, the Mexican government deployed 17,000 soldiers to keep order and deliver aid. It has also set up two ATM machines in branches of an armed forces development bank. However, residents still complain of the strain of accessing aid.
Approximately 150 people queue up at each point to access water, which at times may not be enough. This struggle has led others to walk about 10 blocks in order to get clean water. Those willing to queue have to endure long lines, day-long starvation, and incidences of insecurity. Additionally, some residents have taken it upon themselves to search for missing persons.
According to the people of Acapulco, the government should do more than it is currently doing to help them recuperate. It is estimated that the cost of damage caused by Hurricane Otis is approximately Ksh 2.3 trillion ($ 15 billion). Mexican President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, assured affected people that their basic needs would be delivered. However, despite his assurance, access to food and water still remains a challenge in Acapulco almost a week down the line.
President Andres is under pressure from various communities to address the catastrophe accordingly. Hurricane Otis struck Acapulco barely seven months before Mexico’s presidential elections. Consequently, critics have used this as an opportunity to gauge the government’s response to disaster.
Nonetheless, the president denounced claims that he is downplaying the situation. The statement sparked more criticism given the amount of suffering residents of Acapulco are undergoing dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Otis.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel Switch TV
