Japan's Islands Hit by Two Successive Typhoons
The Izu Islands have endured another powerful blow as Typhoon Nakri swept through the area on Monday, coming just after Typhoon Halong, which hit a week earlier.
Initial Consequences on Hachijojima Island
Local authorities on Hachijojima noted interruptions and destruction to approximately 220 residences after the storm brought an hour of rainfall totaling 37mm and gusts of up to 95mph (152km/h). Airport operations were disrupted, public facilities harmed, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the island chain. The storm also produced waves as high as 9 meters, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, in the Kanagawa region, three fishermen were carried off by waves, one of whom has been confirmed dead.
Nakri's Transformation
The storm has since shifted into an extratropical cyclone, weakening as it moved eastwards over cooler north Pacific waters, with gusts reducing to around 65mph as of Thursday. Moving along the air current, 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 had unleashed over 200mm of precipitation within three hours, as maximum sustained winds reached 122mph. By late morning last Thursday, rainfall totals reached 349mm, shattering the 24-hour record. The typhoon’s remnants then traveled over the northern Pacific and reached Alaska on Sunday, causing an unprecedented 2-meter coastal surge.
Alaska's Severe Damage
The coastal villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the most affected. 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 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 nation endured a double blow last week as the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond combined, 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 left the ground saturated, worsening floods as Raymond approached. Over 300 localities were impacted by mudslides and river overflows. As of Wednesday, 66 fatalities were verified and 75 remain missing. Search and relief efforts persist, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in remote zones.
