Yahoo TV

STORY: :: October 2, 2024

These building in Mexico's Acapulco were damaged in Hurricane Otis nearly a year ago, when the city was taken by surprise by a weak tropical storm that suddenly became a powerful hurricane.

:: November 24, 2023

Winds from the Category 5 storm reached nearly 165 miles per hour. Dozens of people were killed in the Acapulco metropolitan area.

Entrepreneur Joaquin Salgado says residents are still struggling.

“We are still living with the impact, we have not overcome it economically or psychologically. It has had quite an impact on us. Acapulco, as everyone knows, was pretty much devastated, everyone had losses.”

According to the Guerrero state government, over 220,000 homes were damaged.

:: October 26, 2023

Mexico’s president at the time announced a $3.4 billion recovery plan for the city – only a fraction of the nearly $16 billion in total damages estimated by business groups.

Current President Claudia Sheinbaum said in early October that a rescue plan for Acapulco includes clearing rivers and ditches to avoid further damage in the event of heavy rain.

Compounding the disaster for the city and Guerrero state was Hurricane John in September. Local media say at least 18 people were killed when the storm hit, many due to landslides that crushed homes.

Salgado the entrepreneur says something needs to change.

"But in order to prevent so much disaster from happening, I think the population has to do its part. We have built where we should not have, in constant danger, people have not thought of the consequences, of what could happen."