Japanese Archipelago Hit by Two Successive Tropical Storms
The Izu archipelago have endured another powerful blow as Typhoon Nakri swept through the region on Monday, following in the footsteps of Typhoon 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 37mm (1.5in) of rain in one hour and gusts of up to 95mph (152km/h). Airport operations were disrupted, public facilities harmed, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the group of islands. The storm also generated 9-metre waves, leading to hazardous shoreline situations. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, in the Kanagawa region, three men were swept away while fishing, one of whom has been confirmed dead.
The Evolution of Nakri
Nakri has since transitioned into an non-tropical storm system, weakening as it moved eastwards over cooler north Pacific waters, with wind speeds dropping to about 65mph as of Thursday. Moving along the air current, its remaining parts are headed to reach British Columbia, Canada, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.
Recalling Halong's Fury
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 storm's leftovers then crossed the north Pacific and reached Alaska on Sunday, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.
Alaska's Severe Damage
The seaside communities Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the most affected. One person died, homes were destroyed, 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 fuelled by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which supplied additional warmth and humidity.
Double Trouble in Mexico
Meanwhile, the country endured a double blow last week as the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond converged, dumping about 609mm of rain in four days across central and eastern regions. Steered by a dip in the jet stream, both systems hit the same area in quick succession. The initial heavy rains from Priscilla left the ground saturated, intensifying flooding when Raymond arrived. 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 stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in remote zones.
