Tropical Storm Alberto brings storm surge, flooding to Texas coast
DALLAS - Tropical Storm Alberto has taken aim at South Texas and Mexico, bringing storm surge, heavy rain and strong winds to much of the Texas coast.
At least three people have been reported dead in connection to the storm.
Video from Surfside Beach, about 40 miles southwest of Galveston, shows flooding from the storm surge on Wednesday. However, the center of circulation is actually hundreds of miles away near Mexico.
Flooding has stretched from Brownsville up to Galveston.
Several inches of rain are expected in some areas, and storms associated with Alberto have initiated tornado warnings.
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Dallas weather: Tropical Storm Alberto could bring rain to North Texas
Outer bands of rain from the tropical system in the Gulf could make their way to North Texas.
Gov. Greg Abbott says the state worked with local agencies in deploying the resources and personnel down to South Texas.
Some North Texas first responders, including Flower Mound Fire and North Richland Hills Fire, were already in place Wednesday morning ready to help.
With some areas expected to see up to a foot or more of rain, Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 51 counties on Wednesday.
Tropical storm warnings remain in place from Galveston to Brownsville.
Torrential rain was seen in Rockport.
Drone footage shows the storm surge that put the small beach town of Treasure Island in Brazoria County underwater.
More video shows just how high the water reached this truck near the San Luis Pass, about 25 miles outside of Galveston.
"I woke up, and the power is on. Get ready for work, and I come out here," said Tanner MacDevin. "There is nothing but water. I can't leave my neighborhood."
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Fifteen miles south, cell phone video was taken in Surfside Beach as the flooding threatened homes and businesses.
First responders from North Texas are being sent to help.
North Richland Hills Fire deployed crews to Victoria.
Members of the Flower Mound Fire Department are staged in San Antonio.
Down in South Padre Island, people are seeing flooding in places where it doesn't normally occur.
Tropical Storm Alberto made landfall in eastern Mexico early Thursday morning. Then, it's expected to weaken.