At least 27 people have been killed and four are still missing after Hurricane Otis, one of the strongest to hit Mexico. Hurricane Otis made landfall in Acapulco on Wednesday with a 5-magnitude storm. The country's government said on Thursday that damage caused by Otis in the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco would run into several billion dollars. News from Reuters.
City streets were flooded by the tide, cars were submerged. The roofs of many houses and hotels were damaged by the strong storm. Road, air and telecommunications were cut off. The hurricane left a trail of destruction across the city of nearly 9 million residents.
"The situation in Acapulco is catastrophic," said President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador at a press conference in Mexico City.
He said, four people are still missing. They are believed to be members of the Navy.
Otis moved over southern Mexico with sustained winds of 266 kilometers per hour. The area became a mess.
Reuters reported that Otis gathered strength at an unexpected speed as it approached the Pacific coast and turned into a powerful hurricane, uprooting large trees and strewing debris across the city of Acapulco.
Hospitals in the city were also submerged in the flood. Hundreds of patients were evacuated to safer areas due to critical conditions.
The Mexican government has declared a state of emergency in the affected area. But it did not give details on how the 27 people died and did not say how many others were injured.
Hurricane Lidia hits the coast of Mexico
Very dangerous Hurricane Lidia has hit the Pacific coast of Mexico. Local authorities said one person was killed in the impact of the category four cyclone.
Locals have been advised to avoid low-lying areas due to sea waves, floods and landslides. BBC news.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Tuesday that Lydia hit the beach in Puerto Vallarta. The maximum wind speed at the time of impact was about 220 kilometers per hour. Later it becomes weaker.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that 6,000 troops have been deployed to help people affected by the cyclone. He also urged citizens to stay away from low-lying areas, rivers and hilly areas.
Nayarit state authorities said the driver was killed when a tree fell on a van north of Puerto Vallarta.
According to a report by the news agency AFP, schools and businesses have been closed due to this cyclone.
Hurricanes hit Mexico's Pacific and Atlantic coasts almost every year between May and November.
Cyclone Lee has hit Canada
Strong marine storm Lee hit Canada. After more than a week in the Atlantic Ocean, Storm Lee hit the far western part of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia on Saturday local time with hurricane-strength winds. Reuters news.
Meanwhile, the storm has flooded roads along the North Atlantic coast, uprooted trees and left millions without power. Reuters reported this information in a report on Sunday.
At least one storm-related death was recorded on Saturday, reports said. The driver died when a tree fell on a car in the US state of Maine, local media reported.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest warning that Storm Lee was moving north after making landfall on Long Island, a small island southwest of Halifax on Saturday. The powerful storm still has sustained winds of 65 miles per hour (100 km/h) with strong gusts.
Lee is now about 40 miles (60 km) east-southeast of Eastport, Maine, and about 130 miles (215 km) west of Halifax, Reuters said. The storm is expected to weaken gradually over the next few days.
Storm Lee brought strong winds, coastal flooding and heavy rain to coastal areas of Maine and parts of Atlantic Canada, the agency said. Strong winds brought down trees and power lines in Canada's Nova Scotia province on Saturday. As a result, about 120,000 people in that region are without electricity on Saturday. In addition, nearly 20,000 people have experienced power outages in neighboring New Brunswick, Nova Scotia.
Earlier, the US National Hurricane Center had issued a hurricane warning for a stretch of coastline from Massachusetts to Nova Scotia. The agency warned that 9 million people will be at risk due to this storm.
The U.S. Hurricane Center also said that Hurricane Lee could cause tidal surges of 1 to 3 feet in New England. In addition, the storm may bring 2 to 5 inches of rain.
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