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The Izu archipelago have faced yet another severe impact as Typhoon Nakri swept through the region on Monday, following in the footsteps of storm Halong, which hit a week earlier.

Immediate Impact on Hachijojima Island

Local authorities on Hachijojima noted interruptions and destruction to approximately 220 residences 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 typhoon also generated 9-metre waves, leading to hazardous shoreline situations. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, in the Kanagawa region, three men were swept away while fishing, 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 wind speeds dropping to about 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

Seven days before, Halong had unleashed more than 200mm of rain in three hours, as peak wind speeds hit 122mph. By late morning last 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, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.

Significant Harm in Alaska

The coastal villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the hardest hit. A single fatality occurred, homes were destroyed, and nearly 1,500 people had to evacuate to safe zones. Alaska experienced an historic mass evacuation by air to relocate affected individuals. Halong remains one of the most powerful storms the region has experienced. Its rapid intensification was fuelled by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which supplied additional warmth and humidity.

Twin Disasters in Mexico

Meanwhile, the country 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. Steered by a dip in the jet stream, 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. Over 300 localities were affected by landslides and overflowing rivers. As of Wednesday, 66 fatalities were verified and 75 remain missing. Search and relief efforts persist, with standing water causing health worries in isolated areas.