Tropical Storm Odile (2008) - Preparations and Impact

Preparations and Impact

Throughout Odile's existence, the National Weather Service of Mexico declared several tropical storm watches and warnings for the Pacific coast of Mexico spanning from Jalisco to Oaxaca. They were extended and discontinued as Odile progressed westward. On October 11 at around 2 AM PDT, a hurricane watch was declared for the Pacific coast of Mexico from Tecpán de Galeana to Punta San Telmo. Six hours later, the hurricane watch was adjusted and in effect for the coast from Zihuatanejo to Manzanillo. They were all discontinued later that day as the chance of Odile becoming a hurricane diminished.

On October 8, blue alerts were declared for 118 municipalities in Chiapas following the minimal threat of tropical storm-force impact. The civil defense system in the state of Chiapas warned that the storm could leave up to 5.9 in (150 mm) of rainfall. Shippings were closed in the Port of Chiapas, leaving over 3,000 boats stranded ashore on October 9. Flooding in Acapulco forced officials to close schools on October 10. Meanwhile, the state government reported that 232 police were ready to provide assistance to citizens in advance of Odile. Civil defense officials in the state of Guerrero ordered about 10,000 people to evacuate their homes. On October 11, a yellow alert were declared for the state of Michoacán, where the civil defense committee also announced that the shelters were opened for schools in the municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas and the towns of Playa Azul and Guacamayas. Ports in Lázaro Cárdenas were also closed later that day.

On October 10, about 4.8 in (120 mm) of rainfall were accumulated in the city of Acapulco. The torrential rainfall caused flooding which damaged more than 100 houses, with two of them completely destroyed. Excess floodwater collapsed walls and covered roads with mud that reached as much as 2.3 ft (0.70 m). Nearly 150 homes were inundated with 13 ft (4.0 m) of water. The flooding is also responsible for causing strong current that had swept away parked vehicles, downing of at least 16 trees and carrying debris to the main streets of the port. Odile also managed to cause damage toward the plumbing and sewage supplies of Acapulco, resulting no clean water access in about fifty communities of the suburban areas of Acapulco for several days. The water levels of Papagayo River reached its maximum capacity, damaging electrical supplies. In Michoacán, strong winds resulted 30 downed trees and the collapse of 5 power poles, leaving 10 minutes without electricity for a large part of the city.