The death toll in Acapulco, Mexico, from Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 storm, has increased to 43, according to a social media post by Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado. The Mexican government had previously reported 39 deaths and 10 missing individuals as of Saturday.
Of the updated fatalities, there were 33 men and 10 women, as stated by Salgado on the X platform. The governor also mentioned that electricity has been restored to 58% of Acapulco and that officials have conducted a census of 10,000 families in Acapulco and the nearby city of Coyuca de Benitez to assess damages.
Salgado emphasized the arduous work being conducted by officials to distribute aid, describing the recent days as being filled with non-stop efforts. However, residents in areas still affected by flooding have criticized the lack of government assistance. Many individuals are currently searching for family members after losing contact during the storm on Wednesday.
Hurricane Otis, with wind speeds of 165 mph (266 kph), caused widespread flooding, damage to houses, stores, and hotels, and disrupted communication networks.
Reporting by Daina Beth SolomonEditing by Marguerita Choy and Lisa Shumaker
