Japanese Islands Struck by Back-to-Back Typhoons
The Izu archipelago have faced yet another severe impact as Typhoon Nakri moved across the area on Monday, coming just after Typhoon Halong, which struck seven days prior.
Initial Consequences on Hachijojima Island
Officials on Hachijojima Island noted interruptions and destruction 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 typhoon also generated 9-metre waves, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, 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 chilled northern Pacific seas, with gusts reducing to around 65mph as of Thursday. Riding the jet stream, its remnants are on track to reach the Canadian province of British Columbia, 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, 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 evacuate displaced residents. Halong stands as one of the most powerful storms the area has ever seen. Its quick strengthening was driven by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which provided extra heat and moisture.
Twin Disasters in Mexico
At the same time, the nation endured a double blow last week as the leftovers of Priscilla and Raymond converged, 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 left the ground saturated, worsening floods as Raymond approached. More than 300 communities were affected by landslides and overflowing rivers. By Wednesday, 66 fatalities were verified and 75 remain missing. Search and relief efforts persist, with standing water causing health worries in remote zones.
