Mexico: Hurricane Otis' Survivors Search for Unrecovered Bodies of Their Loved Ones

Hundreds of Hurricane Otis' survivors search for unrecovered bodies of their loved ones after the strongest hurricane hit Acapulco, Mexico, on Wednesday.

Hurricane Otis arrived in Acapulco as a Category 5 storm, which killed at least 27 people; four bodies have not yet been recovered and left areas devastated.

Unrecovered Bodies in Acapulco

TOPSHOT-MEXICO-WEATHER-HURRICANE-OTIS-AFTERMATH — TOPSHOT - View of damages in the beach area following the passage of Hurricane Otis in Acapulco, Guerrero State, Mexico, on October 27, 2023. Hurricane Otis caused at least 27 deaths and major damage as it battered Mexico's beachside city of Acapulco as a scale-topping category 5 storm, according to officials. The speed with which Otis rapidly intensified took the government and weather forecasters by surprise, leaving little time to issue warnings and prepare for its arrival. FRANCISCO ROBLES/AFP via Getty Images

Mexican Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval reported at a news conference that the death toll has remained unchanged since Thursday. The number of missing people has also not changed. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said, "Still, we have to wait to have all the information about the missing people, those who were confirmed dead."

The local media said that there were unrecovered bodies that were still not identified, and hundreds of survivors were looking for their loved ones they had not heard from since the storm. Arturo Villalobos, a survivor, asked for help to reach his wife and four children under the age of 12. He said that he was in another state, and he wanted to know the situation of his family.

Villalobos was worried as it had been two days since he had not been able to reach his family. Furthermore, his family had been in a part of Acapulco, where a canal had overflowed.

According to NBC News, another resident named Ricardo was looking for a relative but could not provide any cellphone or photos to show as he lost everything.

Acapulco has cut off electricity and communication around the area, but now cellphone signals are slowly returning. Hurricane survivors started to contact their families and loved ones in Mexico and the US using online messaging such as WhatsApp and Messenger.

The Tragedy of Hurricane Otis

Thousands remained without electricity, water, and other necessities. Some are stranded in remote areas with very little communication.

According to ABC News, the heavy rains and strong winds from the storm resulted in countless landslides, which damaged 80% of hotels and destroyed hundreds of homes in the poorest communities. The landslides also blocked the roads for days in several areas of Acapulco.

However, on Thursday, the primary federal highway in Acapulco has reopened for small vehicles, and there have been some cellphone signal spots.

López Obrador said 1,000 government workers would perform a house-by-house investigation this Friday to determine each family's needs. The government has already collected 10,000 "packages" of appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, and mattresses to be distributed to the affected families.

Planes have also departed, carrying medical personnel, and will land in Acapulco's commercial airport. While hundreds of buses will accommodate stranded residents and tourists.