Hurricane Otis makes landfall in Mexico as category 5 storm – live

Hurricane Otis made landfall near Acapulco, Mexico, early Wednesday as a Category 5 storm.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Otis’ centre struck the Mexican coast at approximately 12.25am local time, carrying sustained winds of 165mph.

Tropical Storm Otis strengthened to a hurricane Tuesday as it approached Mexico’s southern Pacific coast where it was forecast to make landfall near the resort of Acapulco late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

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Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador urged coastal residents of Guerrero – which includes Acapulco – to seek shelter and asked them to stay away from rivers, streams and ravines ahead of the storm’s landfall.

“This is an extremely serious situation for the Acapulco metropolitan area with the core of the destructive hurricane likely to come near or over that large city early on Wednesday,” the hurricane centre said late Tuesday.

“There are no hurricanes on record even close to this intensity for this part of Mexico.”

A hurricane warning is currently in place for the coastal areas stretching from Punta Maldonado to the west, including Zihuatanejo. A hurricane watch and tropical storm warning are in effect from Lagunas de Chacahua to Punta Maldonado.

Hurricane Otis is forecast to continue intensifying through landfall, forecasters have warned.

“There are no signs of this explosive intensification stopping,” NHC forecasters wrote in an online discussion, Axios reported.

“This is an extremely dangerous situation, and all preparations for Otis should be rushed to completion.”

Category 5 winds are so formidable that only the sturdiest structures stand a chance, and given its projected path, the storm’s core could impact a densely populated urban area housing approximately 1 million residents.

Hurricane Otis escalated into a dangerous Category 5 storm by Tuesday evening and is expected to maintain its strength as it makes landfall in Mexico, posing a significant threat of flash floods and destructive mudslides.

The tropical cyclone’s wind intensity increased from a 50-mph tropical storm on Monday to a 165-mph Category 5 hurricane on Tuesday evening.

The Weather Channel reported that this hurricane is expected to become the most powerful one to hit Acapulco on Mexico’s Pacific coastline, affecting at least one million people.

In preparation for Hurricane Otis, authorities in Guerrero have been organising emergency shelters. School classes across the state have also been cancelled.

Alejandra Méndez Giron, general coordinator of the National Meteorological Service was quoted as saying by Mexican media outlet Excelsior: “The tropical storm is expected to make landfall in the morning or at noon on Wednesday in the municipality of Acapulco and due to its dimensions covering the coast from Tecpan de Galeana to Copala, considering its trajectory, the most dangerous quadrant is expected to move over Guerrero.”

“Otis will bring a wide variety of life-threatening impacts to parts of the Mexican coastline, including the major population center of Acapulco, home to almost one million people,” Jonathan Porter, AccuWeather chief meteorologist said on Tuesday evening.

“A major hurricane has not made landfall in this area in modern times. Otis may result in catastrophic damage and will quickly become a humanitarian crisis in the wake of the storm, with many people needing medical care and supplies, food, shelter and safe drinking water.”

O​tis is expected to bring eight to 16 inches of rainfall to Guerrero and parts of Oaxaca through Friday, the Weather Channel said. “Locally higher amounts of up to 20 inches of rain are possible,” the forecast reads.

F​looding and mudslides in areas of higher terrain are possible.

Residents have been warned that the storm surge will make surfing conditions hazardous along the coastline, particularly in the vicinity of and to the east of the hurricane’s landfall point.

Otis’ wind speeds have surged by 110 mph since late Monday, propelling the hurricane into the rare category of a near-landfall Category 5 storm.

Hurricane Otis escalated into a dangerous Category 5 storm by Tuesday evening and is expected to maintain its strength as it makes landfall in Mexico, posing a significant threat of flash floods and destructive mudslides.

The tropical cyclone’s wind intensity increased from a 50-mph tropical storm on Monday to a 165-mph Category 5 hurricane on Tuesday evening.

The Weather Channel reported that this hurricane is expected to become the most powerful one to hit Acapulco on Mexico’s Pacific coastline, affecting at least one million people.