Japanese Islands Struck by Two Successive Typhoons
The Izu archipelago have endured another powerful blow as Typhoon Nakri moved across the region on Monday, coming just after storm Halong, which struck a week earlier.
Immediate Impact on the Island of Hachijojima
Officials on Hachijojima Island reported disruption and damage to approximately 220 residences after the storm brought an hour of rainfall totaling 37mm and wind bursts reaching 95mph. Airport operations were disrupted, infrastructure damaged, and intense rains caused ground slides across the group of islands. The storm also generated 9-metre waves, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Off the Pacific coast in Oiso, 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 non-tropical storm system, weakening as it moved eastwards over chilled northern Pacific seas, with gusts reducing to around 65mph as of Thursday. Riding the jet stream, its remaining parts are headed to reach British Columbia, Canada, delivering intense precipitation, powerful gusts, and coastal flooding.
Recalling Halong's Fury
A week earlier, 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, shattering the 24-hour record. The storm's leftovers then traveled over the northern Pacific and reached Alaska on Sunday, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.
Significant Harm in Alaska
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 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 unusually warm north Pacific waters, which provided extra heat and moisture.
Double Trouble in Mexico
At the same time, the country faced two consecutive hits 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 initial heavy rains from Priscilla made the soil waterlogged, intensifying flooding when Raymond arrived. Over 300 localities 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.
