MEXICO CITY, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Nearly a thousand families in Mexico has been affected by Tuesday by floods after tropical storm Arthur weakened to a tropical depression while crossing the Yucatan peninsula over the weekend.

    Thousands of residents of 982 families in about 20 rural communities in the southeastern Mexican state of Tabasco have been affected by the floods. No casualties have been reported.

    Spokesman Rurico Dominguez for the Civil Protection agency of Tabasco said Tuesday that authorities were helping those affected by floods to evacuate.

    "We hope there will be no more rains this month," he said.

    According to the National Water Commission, the water levels of most rivers in Tabasco have decreased, except the Pichucalco River along the border with the state of Chiapas.

    Tabasco governor Andres Granier Melo said the state had officially announced an emergency in May as the country headed into a season of tropical storms and cyclones.

    Mexico's Communications and Transportation Ministry said Tuesday that the Gulf oil port of Cayo Arcas, one of the major oil ports in Mexico, remained closed due to strong winds and rough seas.

    Mexico exports some 1.5 million barrels of oil each day, mainly to the United States.

    Arthur, the first tropical storm of Atlantic hurricane season this year, has killed at least seven people in neighboring Belize.