Japanese Islands Struck by Back-to-Back Typhoons
The Izu archipelago have endured another powerful blow as tropical cyclone Nakri moved across the area on Monday, following in the footsteps of storm Halong, which struck a week earlier.
Immediate Impact on Hachijojima Island
Local authorities on Hachijojima 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 group of islands. The typhoon also generated 9-metre waves, leading to hazardous shoreline situations. Off the Pacific coast in Oiso, in the Kanagawa region, three fishermen were carried off by waves, one of whom has been confirmed dead.
The Evolution of Nakri
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. Moving along the air current, its remaining parts are headed to reach the Canadian province of British Columbia, delivering intense precipitation, powerful gusts, and coastal flooding.
Recalling Halong's Fury
A week earlier, Halong had unleashed more than 200mm of rain in 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 traveled over the northern Pacific and arrived in Alaska on Sunday, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.
Alaska's Severe Damage
The seaside communities Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the hardest hit. A single fatality occurred, homes were destroyed, and nearly 1,500 people had to evacuate to safe zones. The state underwent an historic mass evacuation by air to relocate affected individuals. Halong remains among the strongest cyclones the area has ever seen. Its quick strengthening was fuelled by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which provided extra heat and moisture.
Twin Disasters in Mexico
At the same time, the country faced two consecutive hits last week as the leftovers of Priscilla and Raymond converged, releasing nearly 609mm of precipitation over 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 people have been confirmed dead and 75 individuals are still unaccounted for. Rescue and recovery operations are continuing, with standing water causing health worries in remote zones.