Acapulco church and school with ties to Minnesota hit by Hurricane Otis

ACAPULCO, Mexico (FOX 9) - Teresa Larsen says the situation right now in the resort city of Acapulco is desperate and dire after Hurricane Otis made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane on Wednesday. 

"We have never had a situation in Acapulco like we are facing right now," said Larsen. 

"It's just amazing to see our city in shreds."

The storm hit in the middle of the night, killing nearly 30 people. The damage is extensive and tens of thousands remain without power or water. 

"There's no internet, there's no running water. The stores are practically empty because nobody saw this coming," said Larsen. 

In the 1980s, Larsen founded a church and school in Acapulco under Feed My Sheep Ministries. The school currently serves about 100 elementary students. 

Larsen splits her time between Willmar, Minnesota and Mexico and had just returned north when the hurricane hit. She's had some communication with her team in Mexico but doesn't know the true extent of the damage yet because electronics are losing power and communication has been cut off. Desperate to get back south to help, Larsen admits she doesn't know when that will be possible.

"How do you get there? And what can you fix once you're there? Right now, the situation [is] so terrible," said Larsen. 

For those who want to help, Feed My Sheep Ministries accepts donations via mail at P.O. Box 941, Willmar MN, 56201.