Forecasters said Thursday that Alberto, the first named tropical storm of the 2024 Atlantic season, had weakened to a tropical depression after moving inland from the Gulf of Mexico but remained a threat that could create flooding and landslides.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center, in its most recent report, said the remnants of Alberto were moving west, producing wind gusts of up to 55 kph and heavy rain, though its effects were expected to diminish as it moved farther inland.
Forecasters warned, however, that heavy rains would continue to affect northeastern Mexico, with life-threatening flooding and landslides likely near areas of higher terrain in the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas.
The governor of Mexico’s Nuevo Leon state told reporters late Wednesday that at least three people had died because of the storm. One person was reportedly swept away in the La Silla River near the state capital, Monterrey.
Nuevo Leon civil protection authorities said two others, reportedly minors, were electrocuted when they rode a bicycle in the rain near downed power lines.
The rain brought by Alberto was welcome in most areas because much of Mexico has been suffering from a drought, with reservoirs extremely low, prompting water shortages in urban areas.
Nuevo Leon authorities said they would redirect water from the La Boca Dam as it neared its maximum capacity of around 40 million cubic meters, thanks to Alberto. A day earlier, water authorities said it was just 35% full.
The U.S. hurricane center said the main hazard for southern coastal Texas was flooding from excess rain and minor coastal floods from storm surge. Video taken in Galveston Bay, on the state’s Gulf of Mexico coast, showed flooded roads and rough surf under mostly clear skies.
Forecasters warned that swells generated by Alberto would affect the coast of Texas and northeastern Mexico through Friday and would be likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
