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

Initial Consequences on Hachijojima Island

Local authorities on Hachijojima reported disruption and damage to approximately 220 residences 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 intense rains caused ground slides across the group of islands. The storm also generated 9-metre waves, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, in Kanagawa prefecture, three fishermen were carried off by waves, one of whom has been confirmed dead.

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 wind speeds dropping to about 65mph as of Thursday. Moving along the air current, its remaining parts are headed to reach British Columbia, Canada, delivering intense precipitation, powerful gusts, and coastal flooding.

Remembering Halong's Impact

Seven days before, Halong discharged over 200mm of precipitation within three hours, as peak wind speeds hit 122mph. By the late morning of the previous Thursday, rainfall totals reached 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.

Alaska's Severe Damage

The coastal villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the hardest hit. 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 evacuate displaced residents. Halong stands as among the strongest cyclones the area has ever seen. Its quick strengthening was fuelled by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which supplied additional warmth and humidity.

Double Trouble in Mexico

At the same time, the nation faced two consecutive hits last week as the leftovers of Priscilla and Raymond converged, dumping about 609mm of rain in four days across central and eastern regions. 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. More than 300 communities 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 remote zones.