Mexican govt unveils support plan for victims of deadly hurricane Otis

Mexico City: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has unveiled a support and recovery plan for the victims of the devastating hurricane Otis, the strongest storm ever to make landfall in the Pacific Coast state of Guerrero.

The General Plan for Reconstruction and Support for the Population centers on Acapulco, a top tourism destination, and on the nearby city of Coyuca de Benitez, both devastated by Otis which made landfall on October 25, leading to the deaths of more than 40 people, reports Xinhua news agency.

The federal government will also earmark up to 61 billion pesos ($3 billion) to implement the plan.

"We have the budget to finance all these needs and programs; we do not consider the allocation of these resources an expense, but an investment," Lopez Obrador said at his daily press conference.

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.