Category 5 Hurricane Otis Strikes Mexico, Record-Breaking Wind Gusts Reported
A massive Category 5 hurricane named Otis made landfall last Wednesday along the west coast of Mexico, causing widespread devastation and claiming the lives of more than 40 people. The storm also produced catastrophic damage in and around the popular tourist destination of Acapulco, with economic losses expected to exceed $10 billion.
According to reports, a weather station near Acapulco recorded a wind gust of 205 mph, which, if confirmed, would rank among the top 10 wind gusts ever observed globally. The National Tidal Service reported this preliminary measurement, but further analysis and confirmation are required by weather agencies like the National Hurricane Center and the World Meteorological Organization.
The strongest wind gust on record is a staggering 253 mph, recorded on Barrow Island in Australia during Tropical Cyclone Olivia in 1996. Before that, Mount Washington held the record with a gust of 231 mph in 1934. Recently, a gust of 213 mph was measured on Orchid Island in Taiwan during Typhoon Koinu.
Extreme wind gusts often go unrecorded due to the destruction they cause to instruments. However, in this case, the weather station operated by the National Tidal Service emerged unscathed, unlike the perimeter fence surrounding the observation site that disappeared during the storm.
Meteorologists were taken by surprise by the intensity of Hurricane Otis, as it rapidly intensified, with its winds increasing by 90 mph in just 12 hours and 115 mph in 24 hours, eventually reaching maximum sustained winds of 165 mph. Computer models had initially predicted Otis to become a Category 1 hurricane, leading to a “nightmare scenario” when it unexpectedly intensified to a Category 5 prior to making landfall in a heavily populated area.
The death toll from the storm currently stands at 46, with dozens of people still missing. Acapulco and its surrounding areas continue to face challenges such as power outages, limited communication, and food and water shortages. Approximately 274,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed, 120 hospitals and clinics have suffered damage, and around 600 hotels and condominiums have been affected.
Economists anticipate that the economic losses caused by Hurricane Otis will exceed $10 billion. Steve Bowen, chief science officer for the global reinsurance broker Gallagher Re, described it as “one of the costliest natural catastrophe events on record for Mexico.” He also expressed concern that a significant portion of the damage will be uninsured or underinsured, as many homeowners and commercial buildings in Acapulco do not have sufficient insurance coverage.
Verisk, a data analytics and technology firm, estimates insured losses from Otis to range between $3 billion and $6 billion, primarily due to the extreme winds. The coastline of Acapulco, which is home to numerous large apartments, condominiums, and hotels, experienced significant damage with blown-out windows and roofs torn off. Smaller residential and commercial buildings also suffered major damage, including cladding being tossed from walls and scattered debris.
Experts predict that the impact of Hurricane Otis on the Mexican insurance market will be substantial. Verisk anticipates that it will become one of the most expensive events ever recorded in terms of insurance claims in the country.
The devastation caused by Hurricane Otis is a grim reminder of the destructive power of these natural disasters. The affected communities will now begin the arduous process of rebuilding and recovering from this unprecedented storm.
Samantha Schmidt contributed to this report.