Japan's Archipelago Struck by Two Successive Tropical Storms
The Izu archipelago have endured another powerful blow as Typhoon Nakri swept through the region on Monday, coming just after Typhoon Halong, which hit a week earlier.
Initial Consequences on Hachijojima Island
Officials on Hachijojima Island noted interruptions and destruction to about 220 homes after the storm brought 37mm (1.5in) of rain in one hour and gusts of up to 95mph (152km/h). Flight services were interrupted, infrastructure damaged, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the island chain. The typhoon also generated 9-metre waves, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Off the Pacific coast in Oiso, in the Kanagawa region, three men were swept away while fishing, with one fatality reported.
The Evolution of Nakri
The storm has since shifted into an non-tropical storm system, weakening as it moved eastwards over cooler north Pacific waters, 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 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 typhoon’s remnants then crossed the north 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. A single fatality occurred, houses were ruined, and nearly 1,500 people had to evacuate to safe zones. The state underwent one of the largest airlifts in its history to evacuate displaced residents. Halong stands as among the strongest cyclones the area has ever seen. Its rapid intensification was fuelled by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which provided extra heat and moisture.
Twin Disasters in Mexico
Meanwhile, the country 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 the central and eastern areas. Guided by a trough in the air current, both systems hit the same area in quick succession. The initial heavy rains 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 individuals are still unaccounted for. Search and relief efforts persist, with standing water causing health worries in remote zones.
