Japanese Islands Hit by Back-to-Back Tropical Storms
The Izu archipelago have endured another powerful blow as Typhoon Nakri moved across the area on Monday, coming just after Typhoon Halong, which hit a week earlier.
Immediate Impact on the Island of Hachijojima
Local authorities on Hachijojima noted interruptions and destruction 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 heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the group of islands. The storm also generated 9-metre waves, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Off the Pacific coast in Oiso, in Kanagawa prefecture, 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, losing strength while traveling east over cooler north Pacific waters, with gusts reducing to around 65mph as of Thursday. Moving along the air current, its remnants are on track to reach the Canadian province of British Columbia, delivering intense precipitation, powerful gusts, and coastal flooding.
Recalling Halong's Fury
Seven days before, Halong discharged more than 200mm of rain in three hours, as maximum sustained winds reached 122mph. By the late morning of the previous Thursday, rainfall totals reached 349mm, breaking the daily rainfall record. The storm's leftovers then crossed the north Pacific and arrived in Alaska on Sunday, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.
Significant Harm in Alaska
The coastal villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the hardest hit. One person died, houses were ruined, and about 1,500 residents were forced into shelters. 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 fuelled by unusually warm north Pacific waters, which supplied additional warmth and humidity.
Twin Disasters in Mexico
Meanwhile, the nation faced two consecutive hits last week as the leftovers of Priscilla and Raymond combined, dumping about 609mm of rain in four days across the central and eastern areas. Guided by a trough in the air current, 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. Over 300 localities were affected by landslides and overflowing rivers. By Wednesday, 66 people have been confirmed dead and 75 individuals are still unaccounted for. Search and relief efforts persist, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in remote zones.
