Death Toll Reaches 27 After Hurricane Otis Struck Mexico

Early on Wednesday morning, Hurricane Otis struck the West Coast of Mexico as a Category 5, and the strongest storm on record to hit the area. The storm was powerful enough to cause extensive damage and widespread power outages.

Communication Systems Down

Over 500,000 homes and businesses lost power from Hurricane Otis - 40% of which have currently been restored. However, the other 60% is grappling with the power outage issues.

Mexican government officials have traveled to the area to assess the damage themselves as the power outages hinder their communication with their teams on the ground.

“We are going there because we do not have any communication with our colleagues who have already been there for a week doing preventive work for a tropical storm and which in 12 hours became a hurricane,” said National Coordinator of Civil Protection Laura Velázquez in an interview with local news channel Milenio TV.