Japan's Islands Struck by Back-to-Back Tropical Storms
The Izu archipelago have faced yet another severe impact as Typhoon Nakri swept through the area on Monday, coming just after Typhoon Halong, which hit a week earlier.
Immediate Impact on Hachijojima Island
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). Flight services were interrupted, infrastructure damaged, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the group of islands. 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, weakening as it moved eastwards over chilled northern Pacific seas, with wind speeds dropping to about 65mph as of Thursday. Riding the jet stream, its remaining parts are headed to reach the Canadian province of British Columbia, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.
Remembering Halong's Impact
Seven days before, Halong discharged more than 200mm of rain in three hours, as peak wind speeds hit 122mph. By late morning last 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, causing an unprecedented 2-meter coastal surge.
Significant Harm in Alaska
The seaside communities Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the hardest hit. One person died, houses were ruined, and nearly 1,500 people had to evacuate to safe zones. Alaska experienced one of the largest airlifts in its history to evacuate displaced residents. Halong remains among the strongest cyclones the region has experienced. Its rapid intensification was fuelled by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which provided extra heat and moisture.
Twin Disasters in Mexico
Meanwhile, the nation endured a double blow last week as the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm 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, intensifying flooding when Raymond arrived. Over 300 localities were affected by landslides and overflowing rivers. By Wednesday, 66 people have been confirmed dead and 75 remain missing. Search and relief efforts persist, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in remote zones.