Mexico: Hurricane Otis Situation Report No. 02 (As of 15 November 2023)

This report is prepared by the Office of the Resident Coordinator and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in collaboration with the agencies, funds and programs of the United Nations System, information from member organizations of the United Nations Emergency Technical Team (UNETT) and official information. It covers the period from 09 to 15 November 2023. This version is adapted from the full Situation Report No.02 in Spanish.

HIGHLIGHTS

• According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), an estimated 848,647 people in Acapulco and 79,605 in Coyuca de Benitez were affected when Hurricane Otis hit Mexico's Pacific coast on 25 October. The Guerrero State Attorney General's Office reports 48 people dead and 26 people still missing.

• The Government of Mexico continues to provide response to the affected areas. There has been no appeal for international aid. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador indicates that the Government will support the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 250,000 homes. Currently, there are more than 10 collection centres in Mexico City.

• The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) and the Ministry of Agrarian,
  Land and Urban Development (SEDATU) are setting up spaces for the management of waste and debris resulting from the impact of the hurricane.

• Acapulco International Airport resumed operations offering domestic flights on 13 November, for both private and commercial flights.

• The United Nations System in Mexico is responding in the affected areas, within the framework of its existing programs and projects, in coordination with the Government and local authorities.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

According to preliminary reports from the Government of Mexico, the municipalities of Acapulco and Coyuca de Benitez are the most affected areas.

IFRC estimates that a total of 928,252 people were exposed to Hurricane Otis, impacting 848,647 in Acapulco and 79,605 in Coyuca de Benítez. According to the Guerrero State Attorney General's Office, there are 48 people dead and 26 people still missing.

Basic services in Acapulco are being progressively reestablished. Two water treatment plants in the municipality of Coyuca de Benitez have cumulatively supplied 115,900 litres of water.

The IFRC has allocated resources from the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) in the amount of US$1.07 million (CHF 951,574) to reach 24,000 people (6,000 families), with support directed towards livelihoods and basic services, including health, water, sanitation and hygiene, family reunification, for six months.

Economic impact:

Acapulco, known for its service and tourism economy, are working to reactivate essential areas with the support and guidelines of the Mexican Government. Media reports indicate that the Acapulco Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism estimates that 63,000 economic units of tourism services in the city will be affected, representing the loss of approximately 180,000 jobs.

To initiate the process of economic reactivation, insurance companies have launched the Catastrophe Response Plan, which proposes, among other measures, monetary advances for residential homes and small and medium-sized companies. In addition, they will make payments for approximately 20,000 damaged cars.

The Tax Administration Service (SAT) informed that Authorized Donors (civil organizations or registered trusts) will be able to grant economic support to victims for the reconstruction or rehabilitation of their homes. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced on 14 November that the Government will distribute partition walls, rods, cement, among other construction materials, for 250,000 families whose homes were affected. He also stated that they will seek to guarantee the distribution of household goods to these families before the end of 2023.

In collaboration with the Government of Mexico, efforts are being scaled up to collect data and assess damage and needs in an accurate and timely manner. They highlight the need to strengthen the comprehensive strategy for solid waste and debris management to reduce environmental impact and mitigate bio-sanitary risks related to the spread of preventable diseases.

The United Nations System, through its Agencies, Funds and Programs (AFP), has strengthened communication, information exchange and coordination, as well as its work with Government counterparts and partners in the country.
Support activities are developed within the framework of its existing programmes and projects. Specific actions require funding and strategies are currently being designed to obtain resources in order to continue providing sustained and complementary support.