Japanese Archipelago Hit by Back-to-Back Typhoons
The Izu Islands have endured another powerful blow as tropical cyclone Nakri moved across the area on Monday, following in the footsteps of storm Halong, which struck seven days prior.
Immediate Impact on the Island of Hachijojima
Officials on Hachijojima Island reported disruption and damage to approximately 220 residences after the storm brought an hour of rainfall totaling 37mm and gusts of up to 95mph (152km/h). Airport operations were disrupted, infrastructure damaged, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the island chain. The storm also generated 9-metre waves, leading to hazardous shoreline situations. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, in Kanagawa prefecture, three fishermen were carried off by waves, with one fatality reported.
Nakri's Transformation
The storm has since shifted into an extratropical cyclone, weakening as it moved eastwards over chilled northern Pacific seas, with gusts reducing to around 65mph as of Thursday. Moving along the air current, its remnants are on track to reach the Canadian province of British Columbia, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.
Remembering Halong's Impact
A week earlier, Halong discharged more than 200mm of rain in three hours, as maximum sustained winds reached 122mph. By late morning last Thursday, precipitation levels climbed to 349mm, shattering the 24-hour record. The storm's leftovers then traveled over the northern Pacific and reached Alaska on Sunday, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.
Significant Harm in Alaska
The seaside communities Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the most affected. A single fatality occurred, homes were destroyed, and about 1,500 residents were forced into shelters. Alaska experienced one of the largest airlifts in its history to evacuate displaced residents. Halong stands as among the strongest cyclones the area has ever seen. Its quick strengthening was driven by unusually warm north Pacific waters, which provided extra heat and moisture.
Double Trouble in Mexico
At the same time, the nation faced two consecutive hits last week as the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond converged, releasing nearly 609mm of precipitation over four days across the central and eastern areas. Guided by a trough in the air current, the two weather events struck the same zone one after another. The initial heavy rains from Priscilla left the ground saturated, intensifying flooding when Raymond arrived. Over 300 localities were impacted by mudslides and river overflows. As of Wednesday, 66 fatalities were verified and 75 remain missing. Search and relief efforts persist, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in remote zones.
