Japanese Archipelago Hit by Two Successive Tropical Storms

The Izu Islands have faced yet another severe impact as Typhoon Nakri moved across the region on Monday, following in the footsteps of Typhoon Halong, which hit seven days prior.

Initial Consequences on the Island of Hachijojima

Local authorities on Hachijojima noted interruptions and destruction to about 220 homes after the typhoon brought an hour of rainfall totaling 37mm and wind bursts reaching 95mph. Airport operations were disrupted, infrastructure damaged, and intense rains caused ground slides across the island chain. The typhoon also generated 9-metre waves, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Off the Pacific coast in Oiso, in the Kanagawa region, three fishermen were carried off by waves, with one fatality reported.

Nakri's Transformation

Nakri has since transitioned into an non-tropical storm system, losing strength while traveling east over chilled northern Pacific seas, with gusts reducing to around 65mph as of Thursday. Riding the jet stream, its remnants are on track to reach British Columbia, Canada, delivering intense precipitation, powerful gusts, and coastal flooding.

Recalling Halong's Fury

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, breaking the daily rainfall record. The typhoon’s remnants then traveled over the northern Pacific and arrived in Alaska on Sunday, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.

Alaska's Severe Damage

The seaside communities Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the hardest hit. A single fatality occurred, homes were destroyed, and nearly 1,500 people had to evacuate to safe zones. Alaska experienced one of the largest airlifts in its history to relocate affected individuals. Halong stands as among the strongest cyclones the area has ever seen. Its rapid intensification was driven by unusually warm north Pacific waters, which supplied additional warmth and humidity.

Double Trouble in Mexico

Meanwhile, the country endured a double blow last week as the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond combined, 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 first deluge from Priscilla made the soil waterlogged, worsening floods as Raymond approached. Over 300 localities were affected by landslides and overflowing rivers. As of Wednesday, 66 people have been confirmed dead and 75 individuals are still unaccounted for. Search and relief efforts persist, with standing water causing health worries in isolated areas.