Mexico City: Tropical Storm Alberto is beginning to batter northeastern Mexico near the US border with heavy rains, according to a US National Hurricane Center (NHC) advisory issued on Wednesday.


As of the latest update, Alberto was positioned approximately 135 miles (217 km) east of Tampico, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds reaching 50 mph (80 kph). The Miami-based NHC noted that military and emergency services personnel are on high alert as they prepare for the storm's full impact.


Alberto, the first named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, currently remains below hurricane strength in terms of wind speeds.


Tragically, the storm has already claimed at least one life. Local emergency services reported that a 15-year-old boy drowned after being swept away by a river current near Monterrey, the third-largest city in Mexico, located in Nuevo Leon state.


The NHC has indicated the possibility of "slight strengthening" of Alberto on Wednesday night.


The storm's center is projected to make landfall along the coast of Tamaulipas state, just south of the US state of Texas, early Thursday morning. Although Alberto is expected to weaken rapidly after landfall, it is forecasted to bring torrential rainfall, coastal flooding, and strong winds.


Considerable flash flooding is anticipated along Alberto's path, including in urban areas, with the potential for swollen rivers and mudslides. Mexico's national water commission, Conagua, has issued warnings for overflowing rivers, landslides, and flooding.


Nuevo Leon state Governor Samuel Garcia urged residents to stay indoors during rainfall and assured that preparations are in place to swiftly address potential disruptions to local power, water, and sewage systems.


Across the US Gulf coast, including areas of Texas and Louisiana, social media videos have shown some flooding in coastal towns and waves crashing against sea walls. The NHC has also warned of the potential for further coastal flooding and the formation of tornadoes in Texas associated with Alberto.