Hurricane “Otis” reaches its highest level on its way to Mexico The Peruvian police seize more than three tons of cocaine

Pacific Storm “Otis” quickly developed into an extremely dangerous Level 5 hurricane as it heads toward the west coast of Mexico. As the US Hurricane Center in Miami (NHC) announced late Tuesday evening (local time), the storm reached sustained winds of nearly 170 miles per hour. The center of “Otis” was about 70 kilometers southeast of the famous resort of Acapulco on the Pacific coast.

According to forecasts, “Otis” is expected to reach the coast early Wednesday morning (local time) and could cause “catastrophic” damage, according to the NHC. Authorities in the state of Guerrero called on the population to take precautions before the arrival of the hurricane. During heavy and persistent rainfall, landslides and flooding are common in southern Mexico, which can cause fatalities and significant damage.

Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean waters. Increasing global warming increases the risk of severe storms. A hurricane is defined as a wind speed of 119 kilometers per hour. The hurricane season starts on May 15 in the Pacific Ocean and on June 1 in the Atlantic Ocean. It ends in both regions on November 30. (rbu/sda/dpa)