Japanese Islands Hit by Two Successive Tropical Storms
The Izu archipelago have endured another powerful blow as Typhoon Nakri swept through the area on Monday, following in the footsteps of storm Halong, which hit a week earlier.
Initial Consequences on the Island of Hachijojima
Officials on Hachijojima Island 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, infrastructure damaged, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the group of islands. The storm also produced waves as high as 9 meters, leading to hazardous shoreline situations. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, in the Kanagawa region, three men were swept away while fishing, with one fatality reported.
The Evolution of Nakri
Nakri has since transitioned 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 remaining parts are headed to reach the Canadian province of British Columbia, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.
Recalling Halong's Fury
Seven days before, Halong discharged over 200mm of precipitation within three hours, as maximum sustained winds reached 122mph. By the late morning of the previous 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, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.
Significant Harm in Alaska
The seaside communities Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the most affected. One person died, houses were ruined, and nearly 1,500 people had to evacuate to safe zones. The state underwent one of the largest airlifts in its history to relocate affected individuals. Halong remains among the strongest cyclones the area has ever seen. Its rapid intensification was fuelled by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which provided extra heat and moisture.
Double Trouble in Mexico
At the same time, the nation faced two consecutive hits last week as the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm 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 initial heavy rains from Priscilla made the soil waterlogged, worsening floods as Raymond approached. More than 300 communities were impacted by mudslides and river overflows. By Wednesday, 66 fatalities were verified and 75 remain missing. Rescue and recovery operations are continuing, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in isolated areas.
