Eco-environmental impact of hurricane John (September 24, 2024) along the coastal municipalities of Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico.

Category 3 Hurricane John on September 24, 2024, with strong winds (> 190 km/h) and heavy rainfall-induced flooding, caused devastation to the coastal municipalities of Guerrero, Mexico. Sentinel-2A images were used to identify the impacts on vegetation canopy, land use/land cover (LULC) characteristics, and moisture levels in vegetation. An increase in dead plants of 90.2 km2 and a decrease in healthy plants by 265.43 km2 were observed using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. Most of the agricultural land, barren land, and low-lying pastureland were flooded (724.8 km2), and high impacts were observed in the agricultural fields along the river Ometepec, particularly in the Las Vigas and Florencio Villarreal municipalities within the study area. The strong winds damaged the deciduous forest at the Veladero Nacional Park and the coniferous forest at Cerro El Guajolote, which experienced high water stress, according to the Normalized Difference Moisture Index. Thus, this study will provide valuable understandings to coastal managers and policymakers, facilitating the formulation of effective action plans for coastal zone management. It will also support and enhance natural resilience and promote sustainable development for the future.