Photos: Tropical Storm Alberto brings heavy flooding to Texas after making landfall in Mexico
At least three people have been reported dead in Mexico after Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of the season, officially made landfall Thursday morning. The storm is expected to bring nearly 2 feet of rain to the country’s Gulf Coast. In Texas, coastal cities experienced a storm surge — an abnormal rise of seawater — of more than 4 feet.
One man died in the La Silla River in Monterrey, Mexico — located around three hours from the Texas border, Mexican authorities said, adding that two minors riding their bikes in the rain died from electric shocks in the municipality of Allende, Mexico.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Corpus Christi and other Texas cities nearby, which will be in place until 1 p.m. local time. The National Hurricane Center also said the storm made landfall with maximum winds of 45 mph and should dissipate over Mexico by the end of the day.
Although the worst is believed to be over for Texas, many areas are still dealing with flooding on their streets.
On Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 51 Texas counties “to ensure Texans and at-risk regions have the resources and personnel needed to respond to this storm,” he said in a statement.
Southern parts of the United States have already experienced flooding this hurricane season. Southern Florida recently went through days of extreme rainfall and flooding — with two people reportedly dying during the storms. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Atlantic hurricane season is only just beginning.
“The upcoming Atlantic hurricane season is expected to have above-normal activity due to a confluence of factors,” the administration said in a May 23 statement. “NOAA is forecasting a range of 17 to 25 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 8 to 13 are forecast to become hurricanes.”
