Landslide caused by Earl leaves at least three dead in Mexico

At least three people died in a landslide in the eastern Mexican state of Veracruz as what had been Tropical Storm Earl dumped copious amounts of rain on the region, authorities said Saturday.

Veracruz Gov. Javier Duarte said through his official Twitter account that three people died in a mudslide in the town of Coscomatepec, about 62 miles (100 kilometers) south of the state capital, Xalapa. Two others were injured in Xalapa.

Earl was downgraded to a tropical depression as it continued westward into the mountains of central Mexico.

Civil protection officials in Veracruz were warning residents in several areas about rapidly rising river levels and urging them to head to higher ground.

Earl struck Belize earlier this week as a Category 1 hurricane, ripping off roofs and downing power lines. It also passed over Guatemala and southern Mexico before regaining strength over the Gulf of Mexico and making a second landfall on Veracruz’s coastline late Friday.

This story was originally published August 6, 2016 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Landslide caused by Earl leaves at least three dead in Mexico."