Hurricane kills 3 in Mexico
The Mexican coast has been hit by the first storm of the North Atlantic hurricane season, which is also drenching southern Texas with heavy rain. The storm has claimed three lives of whom two are minors. Officials in Mexico said death occurred in the northern Nuevo León state.
In Texas and over its boarder, a disaster declaration has already been put in place and masses have been warned about “life-threatening” flooding and mud sliding in the North-East of Mexico and southern Texas.
The system has upgraded the nature of the storm from a tropical cyclone, but says that it remains below hurricane-strength. Meteorologists expect it to make a landfall in Mexico later during the course of the week before it dissipates without directly striking the United States.
The governor of the state of Nuevo León announced a temporary suspension of public transportation while schools in the neighbouring Tamaulipas have been closed.
The state’s declaration of disaster by, Governor Greg Abbott, indicates that widespread and severe property damage, injury and loss of life are most likely to occur.
The United States weather Agency indicates that the North Atlantic hurricane season that runs from the month of June to November could this year experience as many as seven major hurricanes. The agency further reveals that this would be more than double the usual number since record-high sea surface temperatures have shifted the regional weather patterns.
Wildfires that have started earlier than usual and they have already burnt through tens of thousands of acres in California and New Mexico, claiming at least two lives in the latter US state.
Some Mexicans welcomed the rain brought by Alberto following a severe drought in the region.
