This week Hurricane Otis, a category 5 storm, made landfall in Acapulco, Mexico, which was also hosting the XXXV Convención Internacional de Minería. As many as 1,000 foreigners representing mine suppliers are likely stranded along with even more attendees from the surrounding mines at the convention in the resort city on the Pacific Coast, which has no electricity or cellular service. No one knows the full extent of the damage, especially to inland communities. Inbound flights have been suspended and roads and bridges have been wiped out.
NPR spoke with Raymundo Ceja, who was attending the mining conference and had brought a satellite terminal. He said they had no idea that things were going to be bad until about 10 p.m. the night the storm made landfall. The winds picked up suddenly, and most of the windows in the hotel blew out. Some people took shelter in a conference room. Others had to ride out the storm in their bathrooms. He described the destruction as breathtaking.
He said people should have hope. Even though he has seen a lot of destruction, he has seen no death. The resort that hosted the convention is well constructed and did not sit on the coast.
