🔗 Share this article

The Izu archipelago have faced yet another severe impact as Typhoon Nakri moved across the area on Monday, following in the footsteps of storm Halong, which struck a week earlier.

Initial Consequences on Hachijojima Island

Local authorities on Hachijojima noted interruptions and destruction to about 220 homes after the storm brought an hour of rainfall totaling 37mm and gusts of up to 95mph (152km/h). Airport operations were disrupted, public facilities harmed, and intense rains caused ground slides across the group of islands. The typhoon also produced waves as high as 9 meters, leading to hazardous shoreline situations. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, 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, weakening as it moved eastwards over chilled northern Pacific seas, with gusts reducing to around 65mph as of Thursday. Moving along the air current, its remnants are on track to reach British Columbia, Canada, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.

Recalling Halong's Fury

A week earlier, Halong discharged over 200mm of precipitation within three hours, as peak wind speeds hit 122mph. By the late morning of the previous Thursday, precipitation levels climbed to 349mm, shattering the 24-hour record. The storm's leftovers then traveled over the northern Pacific and arrived in Alaska on Sunday, causing an unprecedented 2-meter coastal surge.

Alaska's Severe Damage

The seaside communities Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the most affected. A single fatality occurred, 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 stands as among the strongest cyclones the area has ever seen. Its quick strengthening was fuelled by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which provided extra heat and moisture.

Twin Disasters in Mexico

At the same time, the country faced two consecutive hits last week as the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond converged, 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. More than 300 communities were affected by landslides and overflowing rivers. As of Wednesday, 66 people have been confirmed dead and 75 remain missing. Search and relief efforts persist, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in remote zones.