Tropical Storm Alberto hits the United States and Mexico, killing 3 people
Kyiv • UNN
Tropical Storm Alberto hit the United States and Mexico, bringing heavy rains that killed three people in northeastern Mexico, but also gave hope to the drought-stricken region, and authorities welcomed much-needed precipitation.
Tropical Storm Alberto hit northeastern Mexico early Thursday morning as the first named storm of the season, bringing with it heavy rains that killed three people, but also giving hope to a region suffering from a prolonged and severe drought, UNN writes citing AP.
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Mexican authorities downplayed the risk posed by Alberto and instead pinned hopes on its ability to meet the arid region's water needs.
"The speed (of the wind) is not such that it is considered a risk," Tamaulipasa Secretary of State for hydrological resources Raul Quiroga Alvarez said during a news conference late Wednesday. Instead, he invited people to happily greet "Alberto". "This is what we have been striving for for eight years in all of Tamaulipas," he said.
Most of Mexico is suffering from severe drought, especially northern Mexico. Kary noted that the state's water reserves are exhausted, and Mexico has a huge debt to the United States for water due to the joint use of the Rio Grande River.
"This is a win - win event for Tamaulipas," he said.
Authorities have closed schools in Tamaulipas until the end of the week, as local flooding could occur.
In the neighboring state of Nuevo Leon, civil protection authorities reported three rain-related deaths due to Alberto. They reported that one person died on the La sila River in Monterey, the state capital, and that two minors died from electric shock in the municipality of Allende. Local media reported that the minors were cycling in the rain.
Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Garcia wrote in X that Metro and public transport will be suspended in Monterrey from Wednesday evening until Thursday afternoon, when the Alberto will subside.
On Wednesday evening, Alberto was about 220 kilometers east of Tampico, Mexico, and about 510 kilometers southeast of Brownsville, Texas, at a top speed of 85 kilometers per hour, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. The storm was moving west.
Alberto also brought rain and flooding to the Texas coast.
The US National Weather Service said that the main danger for the southern coastal part of Texas is flooding due to rain. On Wednesday, the service said there was a "high probability" of flash flooding in southern coastal Texas. Tornadoes or water tornadoes are possible.
On Wednesday, road flooding and dangerous rebound currents were observed in areas along the Texas coast, and water tornadoes were seen at sea.
Alberto was expected to weaken quickly on land and dissipate on Thursday.