Mexico storm: Dozens still missing after Hurricane Otis hit
People in Acapulco have been queuing to receive food handouts after Hurricane Otis struck
Dozens of people remain missing six days after Hurricane Otis made landfall in the Mexican resort of Acapulco.
The governor of Guerrero state, where Acapulco is located, said 45 bodies had been recovered so far and at least 47 were still unaccounted for.
Acapulco was devastated by the hurricane, which hit the coast as a category 5 storm before weakening.
The slow arrival of aid frustrated locals with some resorting to looting.
“We don’t have water, we are left with nothing, the house is full of mud, everything is damaged,” one woman told Reuters news agency on Monday, urging the government to send help.
While some looted food and water, others made off with televisions and appliances
The government has sent soldiers and police to the city and its environs and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has promised to “put Acapulco back on its feet”.
But a group representing retailers called on authorities to further increase security as some of its members reported lootings. “Nothing justifies these acts,” the group said.
“It’s important to guarantee that food, medicine and hygiene products get to their destination and aren’t stolen by criminal groups, the retail association said.
Governor of Guerrero Evelyn Salgado said that many of the roads which had been blocked by debris and fallen trees had been cleared, making the delivery of food easier.
Electricity has also been restored to about two thirds of the city, according to the federal electricity commission.
The speed with which Otis turned from a tropical storm into a hurricane of the highest category surprised forecasters and residents alike, meaning that many were not prepared for the impact of the storm.
