Japan's Islands Hit by Back-to-Back Typhoons
The Izu Islands have faced yet another severe impact as Typhoon Nakri swept through the region on Monday, following in the footsteps of Typhoon Halong, which hit a week earlier.
Immediate Impact on the Island of Hachijojima
Officials on Hachijojima Island reported disruption and damage to about 220 homes after the typhoon brought an hour of rainfall totaling 37mm and wind bursts reaching 95mph. Flight services were interrupted, infrastructure damaged, and intense rains caused ground slides across the group of islands. The typhoon also produced waves as high as 9 meters, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, in the Kanagawa region, three fishermen were carried off by waves, 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 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.
Remembering Halong's Impact
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 storm's leftovers then traveled over the northern Pacific and arrived in Alaska on Sunday, causing an unprecedented 2-meter coastal surge.
Significant Harm in Alaska
The coastal villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the hardest hit. One person died, houses were ruined, and nearly 1,500 people had to evacuate to safe zones. Alaska experienced one of the largest airlifts in its history to relocate affected individuals. Halong stands as one of the most powerful storms the area has ever seen. Its quick strengthening was driven by unusually warm north Pacific waters, which supplied additional warmth and humidity.
Twin Disasters in Mexico
Meanwhile, the country endured a double blow last week as the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond combined, 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. Over 300 localities 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.
