Japanese Islands Hit by Two Successive Tropical Storms
The Izu Islands have endured another powerful blow as Typhoon Nakri moved across the region on Monday, following in the footsteps of Typhoon Halong, which struck a week earlier.
Immediate Impact on the Island of Hachijojima
Officials on Hachijojima Island reported disruption and damage to about 220 homes after the storm brought an hour of rainfall totaling 37mm and gusts of up to 95mph (152km/h). Flight services were interrupted, infrastructure damaged, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the island chain. The typhoon also produced waves as high as 9 meters, leading to hazardous shoreline situations. 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 wind speeds dropping to about 65mph as of Thursday. Moving along the air current, its remaining parts are headed to reach British Columbia, Canada, delivering intense precipitation, powerful gusts, and coastal flooding.
Remembering Halong's Impact
Seven days before, Halong discharged over 200mm of precipitation within 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 typhoon’s remnants then crossed the north Pacific and reached Alaska on Sunday, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.
Alaska's Severe Damage
The coastal villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the most affected. One person died, homes were destroyed, and nearly 1,500 people had to evacuate to safe zones. The state underwent one of the largest airlifts in its history to evacuate displaced residents. Halong remains one of the most powerful storms 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
At the same time, the country faced two consecutive hits last week as the leftovers of Priscilla and Raymond converged, dumping about 609mm of rain in four days across the central and eastern areas. Steered by a dip in the jet stream, the two weather events struck the same zone one after another. The first deluge from Priscilla left the ground saturated, worsening floods as Raymond approached. More than 300 communities were impacted by mudslides and river overflows. 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 remote zones.
