Japan's Islands Hit by Back-to-Back Typhoons
The Izu Islands have faced yet another severe impact as Typhoon Nakri swept through the region on Monday, coming just after Typhoon Halong, which hit seven days prior.
Initial Consequences on the Island of Hachijojima
Officials on Hachijojima Island noted interruptions and destruction to about 220 homes after the typhoon brought 37mm (1.5in) of rain in one hour and gusts of up to 95mph (152km/h). Flight services were interrupted, infrastructure damaged, and intense rains caused ground slides across the island chain. The typhoon also produced waves as high as 9 meters, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, in the Kanagawa region, three men were swept away while fishing, one of whom has been confirmed dead.
Nakri's Transformation
The storm has since shifted into an non-tropical storm system, losing strength while traveling east over cooler north Pacific waters, with gusts reducing to around 65mph as of Thursday. Riding the jet stream, its remnants are on track to reach British Columbia, Canada, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.
Recalling Halong's Fury
A week earlier, Halong discharged more than 200mm of rain in three hours, as maximum sustained winds reached 122mph. By the late morning of the previous Thursday, precipitation levels climbed to 349mm, breaking the daily rainfall record. The storm's leftovers then crossed the north Pacific and arrived in Alaska on Sunday, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.
Alaska's Severe Damage
The coastal villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the hardest hit. One person died, homes were destroyed, and nearly 1,500 people had to evacuate to safe zones. Alaska experienced an historic mass evacuation by air to evacuate displaced residents. Halong remains among the strongest cyclones the area has ever seen. Its rapid intensification was driven by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which supplied additional warmth and humidity.
Twin Disasters in Mexico
Meanwhile, the country faced two consecutive hits last week as the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond converged, dumping about 609mm of rain in four days across central and eastern regions. Steered by a dip in the jet stream, the two weather events struck the same zone one after another. The initial heavy rains from Priscilla made the soil waterlogged, intensifying flooding when Raymond arrived. Over 300 localities were affected by landslides and overflowing rivers. By Wednesday, 66 fatalities were verified and 75 individuals are still unaccounted for. Rescue and recovery operations are continuing, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in isolated areas.
