Hurricane Otis has made landfall in the popular Mexican beach resort of Acapulco and could cause ‘catastrophic damage’, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

The powerful Category 5 storm reached the Pacific coast resort just after midnight local time, bringing with it winds of up to 165mph and flash-flooding.

The Foreign Office has warned travellers to the region that hurricane conditions are expected to continue today (Wednesday).

Otis is believed to be the strongest storm to hit the region since 1997 when Hurricane Pauline battered Acapulco, killing more than 200 people.

THE NHC said that Hurricane Otis could produce a ‘potentially catastrophic storm surge’, which could cause life-threatening coastal flooding.

Rainfall of eight to 16 inches is also expected, with up to 20 inches falling across Guerrero and the western coastal sections of Oaxaca.

The city of Acapulco is home to more than a million people and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador urged those living close to the coast to seek shelter and stay away from rivers, streams, and ravines.

There is currently a hurricane warning is in effect along the southern coast from Punta Maldonado to Zihuatanejo.