Mexico declares 47 towns natural disaster zones in wake of hurricane Otis

Mexico: The Mexican government has declared 47 municipalities in the southern state of Guerrero natural disaster zones, making them eligible for federal resources to fund recovery efforts in the aftermath of the destructive hurricane Otis.

The Natural Disaster Declaration, requested by the government of Guerrero, was issued by the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection to address the damage from "severe rain, strong winds, and rainfall and river flooding on October 24 and 25", Xinhua news agency reported.

Otis hit the Pacific Coast state on October 25 as a category 5 hurricane, causing devastating destruction in the popular tourism destination of Acapulco, nearby Coyuca de Benitez and other parts.

According to Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado, the storm's official death toll reached 46 while 58 people were still missing.

State authorities said Thursday crews were carrying out clean-up work to clear debris and attending to the victims.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday unveiled a 20-step plan to get Acapulco and other hard-hit areas back on their feet.

The 20-step plan prioritises the ongoing search for missing persons, speeds up the flow of resources for welfare programs for the elderly and people with disabilities, and looks to support local producers and fishermen.

It suspends charges for electricity from November 2023 to February 2024, and calls for the delivery of basic foods to the estimated 250,000 families impacted by the storm.

In addition, credits will be granted for housing repairs and a package of household goods will be delivered to the victims, which includes bed, stove, fan and set of dishes, among other items, Lopez Obrador said.

Meanwhile, economic losses due to the storm is expected to top $10 billion.

Around 274,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, around 120 hospitals and clinics were damaged, and around 600 hotels and condominiums were affected.