Alberto, the first named tropical storm of the season, brought heavy rains to Texas and Mexico and killed three people.

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Tropical Storm Alberto barreled toward northeastern Mexico early Thursday, becoming the first storm of the season to bear the name Alberto, bringing torrential rains that killed three people but also brought hope to a region suffering from a long and severe drought.

Mexican Authorities have downplayed the risks posed by Hurricane Alberto, instead hoping it will ease water demands in drought-stricken regions.

“The wind speeds are not high enough to pose a risk,” Raúl Quiroga Álvarez, Tamaulipas state’s secretary of hydrological resources, said at a news conference Wednesday evening. Instead, he advised people to greet Alberto with joy. “This is what we have been doing throughout Tamaulipas for eight years.”

Much of Mexico is suffering from a severe drought, with northern Mexico particularly hard hit. Quiroga noted that reservoir levels in the state are low and Mexico is in a state of USA They incurred a huge water debt from their shared use of the Grande River.

“This is a win-win event for the state of Tamaulipas,” he said.

But in nearby Nuevo Leon state, civil protection authorities reported three deaths from Alberto’s rains. They said a man died in the La Silla River in the state capital of Monterrey, and two minors died of electrocution in the city of Allende. Local media reported that the minors were riding bicycles in the rain.

Nuevo Leon state Governor Samuel Garcia wrote on the social media platform X that subway and public transportation services in Monterrey would be suspended from Wednesday evening until noon Thursday, the day Alberto died.

Alberto was about 135 miles (220 kilometers) east of Tampico, Mexico, and about 320 miles (510 kilometers) south-southeast of Brownsville late Wednesday. TexasAccording to the National Hurricane Center, maximum sustained winds are 50 mph (85 kph). The storm is moving west at 9 mph.

Alberto also brought rain and flooding to the Texas coast.

The main danger for coastal areas of southern Texas is flooding from excessive rainfall, the National Weather Service said. On Wednesday, the National Weather Service said there was a “high probability” of flash flooding along the southern Texas coast. Tornadoes or waterspouts were possible.

On Wednesday, coastal areas of Texas experienced some flooding of roads and dangerous rip currents, with waterspouts reported offshore.

In Mexico, residents expressed hope that Alberto would bring rain.

Tampico resident Blanca Coronel Moral went to the city’s waterfront on Wednesday to await Alberto’s arrival.

“Thank God, we need this water all the time. I wish we only got water,” Coronel Moral said. “The lagoon that provides us with drinking water has completely dried up.”

Authorities have decided to close schools in Tamaulipas state for the rest of the week due to the possibility of localized flooding.

The National Hurricane Center said parts of coastal Texas were expected to receive 5-10 inches (13-25 centimeters) of rain, with isolated amounts possibly higher. Some higher-lying areas of Mexico could receive up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain, which could cause mudslides and flash flooding, especially in Tamaulipas, Coahuila and Nuevo León.

Alberto brought showers to both sides of the border, extending rainfall to much of the south Texas coast and south to the Mexican state of Veracruz.

Alberto is expected to weaken rapidly over land and dissipate on Thursday.

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Martínez Barba reports from Mexico City.