ACAPULCO, Mexico - When Hurricane Otis struck Acapulco Bay on October 25th with winds reaching 165 mph, it left a trail of destruction in its wake. Sailors and their families, caught off guard by the storm's rapid intensification, now face the aftermath and the grim reality of the damage caused.

Among the impacted boats was a yacht named the Sereno, where sailor Ruben Torres recorded a harrowing 10-second audio message, pleading for prayers. Regrettably, Torres and the boat's captain remain missing, with only one survivor from the Sereno. The Mexican Navy reports that a total of 614 boats, including yachts, ferries, and fishing boats, were damaged or found sunk in the bay that night.

Officially, Hurricane Otis claimed the lives of at least 48 individuals, mostly due to drowning. Tragically, 26 individuals are still missing, although locals believe the number may be higher. The region's sailors and fishermen, known for their practice of boarding their boats during storms in order to safeguard and navigate them to sheltered areas, were taken by surprise as the storm rapidly intensified, leaving them unprepared for its destructive forces.

The wife of Ruben Torres, Susana Ramos, learned of her husband's fate days later when she heard his desperate message. Ramos revealed that Torres had followed his usual routine during approaching hurricanes, boarding the boat and sailing it to a more protected area near the naval base. As the storm hit, Ramos and her family experienced flooding in their home, while Torres faced the full force of Otis on the Sereno.

The aftermath of Otis was evident as daylight broke. Acapulco woke up to a city isolated, without power, phone signal, or water. Countless homes were destroyed, entire neighborhoods flooded, and luxury hotels reduced to empty shells. The city's streets were strewn with debris, toppled trees, and downed power poles.

Alejandro Martínez Sidney, a business leader and member of a fishing cooperative, relayed the accounts of surviving sailors. According to him, many sailors were taken by surprise by the storm's sudden ferocity. Despite a late-night alert instructing sailors to beach their boats, it was already too late for those who had sailed to what they believed to be safer areas of the bay. Some sailors ended up trapped in a vortex-like whirlpool in the middle of the bay, reminiscent of a "mega tornado," as described by survivors.

Ramos, desperate to find her husband, traversed the devastated city for miles, searching for any signs of him. The sight of boats strewn about Acapulco's waterfront boulevard deeply affected her, as they resembled old abandoned toys. She scoured hospitals, checked lists of the dead and missing, and even visited the naval base and morgue, hoping for news. However, it was only a few days later, when sporadic power and phone signal returned, that she finally received Torres' last haunting message. The helplessness she felt upon hearing his words was immeasurable.

As Acapulco slowly begins to rebuild and recover from the devastation left behind by Hurricane Otis, the true toll of the storm is still unfolding. Families continue to search for their missing loved ones, while the city mourns the loss of those who perished. The story serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable and destructive nature of hurricanes, as they leave a profound impact on both human lives and infrastructure.