Hurricane Otis hits Mexico - 1st November 2023

Mexico was hit by a major hurricane. Hurricane Otis had wind speeds of up to 270 kilometres per hour. It destroyed 80 percent of the hotels in Acapulco.

The hurricane caused landslides which destroyed homes and businesses in the communities around Acapulco. The area has had no electricity or water. The government has sent 17,000 soldiers to help residents. But they are facing difficulties getting there fast enough. The roads are blocked with mudslides. But residents are working together.

Margarita Carmona says that they're attempting to clear the roads themselves to allow help to arrive quicker.

Margarita Carmona: "We all agreed, we are going to unite as neighbours to pick up everything that is in the way, so that we can get through and wait for the help that may arrive."

Residents have lost all their clothes and shoes and there's broken glass everywhere. Fisherman Julian Matadama says it's dangerous to walk outside.

Julian Matadama: "We are barefoot and we have nothing. We do not want to see the wounds we have on our feet because we don't want it to stop us going out to get food for our children."

Omar Flores is worried about how they'll earn money to rebuild if there are no tourists.

Omar Flores: "There won't be any tourists for a while. We don't know how we are going to get by. All we can think about is where we will get the money from to rebuild what we used to have."

Hurricane Otis has destroyed the local tourism industry. But people are now focused on cleaning up. They're fixing their damaged homes. It won't be easy to rebuild. But Juana Flores says they have no choice.

Juana Flores: "Right now we are seeing how we are going to be able to work. First and foremost, we need to fix the roof, and then with the little produce that survived, we will start working again. That's the only thing we can do."