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, coming just after storm Halong, which struck seven days prior.
Initial Consequences on Hachijojima Island
Local authorities on Hachijojima reported disruption and damage to about 220 homes after the typhoon brought an hour of rainfall totaling 37mm and wind bursts reaching 95mph. Flight services were interrupted, infrastructure damaged, and intense rains caused ground slides across the group of islands. The typhoon also generated 9-metre waves, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, 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 cooler north Pacific waters, with wind speeds dropping to about 65mph as of Thursday. Moving along the air current, 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 had unleashed over 200mm of precipitation within three hours, as peak wind speeds hit 122mph. By the late morning of the previous Thursday, rainfall totals reached 349mm, shattering the 24-hour 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. A single fatality occurred, 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 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.
Twin Disasters in Mexico
Meanwhile, the nation 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. 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. More than 300 communities were impacted by mudslides and river overflows. By Wednesday, 66 fatalities were verified and 75 remain missing. Search and relief efforts persist, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in remote zones.