Acapulco was built to withstand earthquakes, but not Hurricane Otis' destructive winds – how building codes failed this resort city
- Written by Michel Bruneau, Professor of Engineering, University at Buffalo
Acapulco's beachfront condo towers were devastated by Hurricane Otis.Rodrigo Oropeza/AFP via Getty ImagesAcapulco wasn’t prepared when Hurricane Otis struck as a powerful Category 5 storm on Oct. 25, 2023. The short notice as the storm rapidly intensified over the Pacific Ocean wasn’t the only problem – the Mexican resort...