Hurricane Otis tears up Mexican resort city of Acapulco

Federal forces keep watch as Hurricane Otis barrels towards Acapulco. Photo: Reuters

José Antonio Rivera

After ripping up Mexico’s southern Pacific coast early yesterday, Hurricane Otis weakened from a Category 5 hurricane to a strong Category 2 storm, dousing the steep mountains of the state of Guerrero and leaving a trail of damage in the city of Acapulco.

As dawn broke over Acapulco, residents found the walls of buildings ripped off, flooded hotel rooms with collapsed ceilings, and rubble and downed trees lining the streets. Persistent rain and flooding made it difficult to move.