Tropical Storm Alberto weakens over northeast Mexico after heavy rains killed 3

TAMPICO, Mexico (AP) — Tropical Storm Alberto, the season's first named storm, weakened Thursday as it moved inland over northeast Mexico after bringing heavy rains to parts of the parched region and leaving at least three dead.

The storm was weakening rapidly over land and was downgraded to a tropical depression by the US National Hurricane Center.

But forecasters said heavy rain amounting to several inches was still expected inland in Mexico's Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon and Coahuila states. South Texas was forecast to see diminishing rain on Thursday.

Immediately after it moved ashore in Tampico, there was initial disappointment at the meagre amount of rain that fell. Showers had been sporadic through the early morning with the sun even breaking through at times.

“We had hoped that it would come because water is so needed here, but at far as I can tell it went somewhere else,” said Tampico resident Marta Alicia Hernández.

But, in land heavy rain was causing damage in the neighbouring states of Nuevo Leon and Veracruz.

There, civil protection authorities reported three deaths linked to Alberto's rains. They said one man died in the La Silla river in the city of Monterrey, the state capital, and that two minors died from electric shocks in the municipality of Allende. Local media reported that the minors were riding a bicycle in the rain.

Water also washed out a segment of a major highway connecting Monterrey and Saltillo.

Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel García wrote on his account on social media platform X that metro and public transportation services would be suspended in Monterrey from Wednesday night until midday Thursday when Alberto has passed.

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