ACAPULCO, Mexico – The festive season was overshadowed by tragedy for Candido Trinidad de la Cruz, whose plans for a joyous Christmas gathering were shattered when Hurricane Otis ravaged Acapulco two months earlier. The calamitous storm claimed his wife, two children, and their worldly possessions in its destructive path.
As Christmas Eve unfolded, Trinidad de la Cruz clung to the hope of reuniting with his family, still missing since the disaster. Despite suffering a serious leg injury during the most powerful hurricane to strike Mexico’s Pacific coastline, he crafted a memorial altar adorned with family photos, vibrant blooms, festive garlands, and flickering candles, evoking memories of better times.
The family’s original plans for a Christmas feast featuring barbecued pork ribs gave way to a somber reality. Forgoing the traditional holiday dinner typically celebrated on December 24, Trinidad de la Cruz shared a modest meal of tamales, a traditional Mexican corn-based delicacy, with his mother.
The ferocious storm unleashed its fury on Acapulco in the early hours of October 25 while Trinidad de la Cruz was at home with his wife, 12-year-old daughter, and 16-year-old son. The hurricane left a trail of destruction, leveling homes, claiming the lives of at least 50 individuals, leaving many unaccounted for, and inflicting billions in damages to residential and commercial properties.
In the aftermath, many Acapulco denizens, like Trinidad de la Cruz, are engaged in a relentless search for their missing loved ones and are in the throes of cleaning up the wreckage.
In response to the catastrophe, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador initiated a massive $3.4 billion rehabilitation scheme, vowing to swiftly restore the once bustling seaside destination. Nonetheless, numerous local enterprises face the grim reality of having missed out on the crucial Christmas tourist influx.
Candido Trinidad de la Cruz, a resident of Acapulco, Mexico, had his life upended by Hurricane Otis, which struck the region two months prior to Christmas. The hurricane caused severe flooding, resulting in the disappearance of his wife and two children, along with the loss of all their possessions. Despite his own severe leg injury, on Christmas Eve, Trinidad de la Cruz maintained hope for their survival and set up an altar with family photos and decorations to remember better times. Instead of the planned Christmas dinner, he shared tamales with his mother. Hurricane Otis, the strongest to hit Mexico’s Pacific coast, occurred on October 25, destroying homes, killing at least 50 people, and inflicting billions of dollars in damage. Many in Acapulco continue to search for missing loved ones and clean up the aftermath. In response, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced a $3.4 billion recovery plan to help revive Acapulco, although the disaster has significantly impacted the crucial Christmas tourist season for local businesses.
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