Mexico braces for Category 5 hurricane, risk of 'catastrophic' damage

Members of the federal forces chat as they keep watch at a beach as Hurricane Otis barrels towards Acapulco, Mexico, October 24, 2023. REUTERS/Javier Verdin

ACAPULCO, Mexico (Reuters) -Mexico's southern coast braced for Hurricane Otis on Wednesday as the Category 5 storm made landfall near the beach resorts of Acapulco, with the potential to cause "catastrophic damage," the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

The hurricane reached land near Acapulco, bringing maximum sustained winds around 165 mph (270 kmh) and heavy rain, the center said.