Japan's Archipelago Struck by Two Successive Tropical Storms
The Izu archipelago have faced yet another severe impact as tropical cyclone Nakri moved across the region on Monday, coming just after Typhoon Halong, which hit 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 gusts of up to 95mph (152km/h). Flight services were interrupted, public facilities harmed, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the group of islands. The storm also produced waves as high as 9 meters, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Off the Pacific coast in Oiso, in the Kanagawa region, three fishermen were carried off by waves, with one fatality reported.
Nakri's Transformation
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. 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.
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, rainfall totals reached 349mm, shattering the 24-hour record. The typhoon’s remnants then crossed the north Pacific and reached Alaska on Sunday, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.
Alaska's Severe Damage
The coastal villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the most affected. One person died, homes were destroyed, and nearly 1,500 people had to evacuate to safe zones. The state underwent an historic mass evacuation by air to evacuate displaced residents. Halong remains one of the most powerful storms the area has ever seen. Its quick strengthening was driven by unusually warm north Pacific waters, which provided extra heat and moisture.
Twin Disasters in Mexico
Meanwhile, the country endured a double blow 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 made the soil waterlogged, worsening floods as Raymond approached. More than 300 communities were affected by landslides and overflowing rivers. As of Wednesday, 66 fatalities were verified and 75 individuals are still unaccounted for. Search and relief efforts persist, with standing water causing health worries in isolated areas.
