FLOODS. LANDSLIDES TRIGGERED BY TROPICAL DEPRESSION FERNAND KILL 13 ACROSS MEXICO

Floods, landslides triggered by tropical depression Fernand kill 13 across Mexico

Angeles Juarez, Veracruz News via EPA

The port of Veracruz, Mexico as Tropical Storm Fernand made landfall early Monday morning.
By Henry Austin and Elisha Fieldstadt, NBC News

Thirteen people were killed by landslides in Mexico on Monday, caused by tropical depression Fernand’s heavy rains and flash floods.

Making landfall with 70 mph winds early Monday morning, the storm first plowed through Veracruz —on the Gulf of Mexico — and continued northwest, where it took the lives of nine people in Yecualta, three in Tuxpan and one in Atzalan.

"All of (the deaths) were caused by landslides in the hills above their homes," Veracruz Governor Javier Duarte said at a press conference.

Meteorologists warned of mudslides, flash floods and up to 12 inches of rain. More than 200 people in the state of Veracruz were evacuated from their homes in preparation for the storm, according to local emergency services.

As Fernand made its way inland, it sustained winds of 35 mph and then tapered down to 9 mph winds. Mexico’s government discontinued all coastal warnings later in the day Monday when the storm weakened to a post-tropical remnant.

“As the storm makes its way north at a speed of around 9 mph ...  the strength will gradually be sapped from the system,” Kevin Noth, lead meteorologist at weather.com said earlier on Monday. "So by the time it hits Texas, they won’t even notice," he added.

Reuters contributed to this report.