On October 25, Hurricane Otis made landfall in the state of Guerrero, near the city of Acapulco, Mexico. This was not only the first Category 5 Tropical Cyclone to ever strike Mexico’s Pacific Coast, but it took the world – and weather forecasters and storm chasers – off guard, as most expected the storm to remain below hurricane strength instead of more than doubling in strength in just 12 hours. The cause? Warmer water connected to climate change.
The impact was predominantly in Acapulco City, and adjacent areas. While official evaluations are still on-going, it seems that there has been significant damage to 29 municipalities. In Acapulco, more than 80% of its resort hotels were damaged, more than 500,000 homes and businesses lost power, and water and sanitation systems suffered. As of yesterday, the Government estimates 46 deaths, 58 people missing, 30 search brigades deployed and 1,500 state workers supporting recovery and assistance for the population.
The Connecting Business initiative (CBi) partner on the ground, the Centro Nacional de Apoyo para Contingencias Epidemiologicas y Desastres (CENACED), has been mobilizing the private sector and other allies to support the response. Their strategic approach covers three phases:
- immediate assistance (first days after the event),
- humanitarian assistance (2-3 weeks post-event), and
- early recovery and reconstruction (as of the 3rd week post-event).
How business is supporting the response to Hurricane Otis
CENACED activated their coordination platform, Unidos Por Ellxs, and are participating in regular coordination meetings alongside CBi with the United Nations Emergency Technical Team (UNETT in English, UNETE in Spanish). They have created nine committees for more efficient coordination, from fundraising and accountability to supply and logistics as well as livelihood recovery and more.
Some of the private sector contributions to date, coordinated and articulated through CENACED and Unidos Por Ellxs, include:
- Over 150 tonnes of humanitarian aid: food, bottled water, hygiene and cleaning kits
- More than 80 collection centers set up nationwide with the support of volunteers
- 100 routers donated for renewed connectivity
- Access to airplanes and trucks as logistical support to bring in supplies and evacuate people
- 15 alliances with local restaurants set up through World Central Kitchen to provide 2,500 hot meals daily
- Deployment of response teams, including search and rescue units, paramedics, psychologists, and other volunteers
“Our message is one of unity and focus,” says Elisa Trujillo, Director General of CENACED. “We appreciate everyone’s patience and support as we work together to get to those who need it the most in as efficiently as possible. We know these first days and weeks are critical, but we are in it for the long-haul, as we also understand that recovery will take time and resources.”
“Our message is one of unity and focus,” says Elisa Trujillo, Director General of CENACED. “We appreciate everyone’s patience and support as we work together to get to those who need it the most in as efficiently as possible. We know these first days and weeks are critical, but we are in it for the long-haul, as we also understand that recovery will take time and resources.”
What next and how can you help?
While news will be shared on the CBi Hurricane Otis emergency page (link to come tomorrow), flash updates by the United Nations will also continue to be published on ReliefWeb to share details about the on-going response and any damage and needs assessment results.
If you are interested in supporting CENACED in their work, you can connect with them through the Unidos Por Ellxs platform, or reach out to CBi’s Regional Focal Point for Latin America and the Caribbean, Iria Gonzalez.