Japanese Archipelago Hit by Back-to-Back Tropical Storms

The Izu archipelago have endured another powerful blow as Typhoon Nakri moved across the region on Monday, following in the footsteps of Typhoon Halong, which hit a week earlier.

Initial Consequences on Hachijojima Island

Local authorities on Hachijojima 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, infrastructure damaged, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the island chain. The storm also generated 9-metre waves, leading to hazardous shoreline situations. Off the Pacific coast in Oiso, in the Kanagawa region, three fishermen were carried off by waves, with one fatality reported.

The Evolution of Nakri

The storm has since shifted into an non-tropical storm system, losing strength while traveling east over chilled northern Pacific seas, with wind speeds dropping to about 65mph as of Thursday. Riding the jet stream, its remnants are on track to reach British Columbia, Canada, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.

Remembering Halong's Impact

A week earlier, Halong had unleashed more than 200mm of rain in 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 typhoon’s remnants then crossed the north 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. Alaska experienced an historic mass evacuation by air to evacuate displaced residents. Halong remains one of the most powerful storms the region has experienced. Its rapid intensification was fuelled by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which provided extra heat and moisture.

Twin Disasters in Mexico

At the same time, the country endured a double blow last week as the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond combined, releasing nearly 609mm of precipitation over 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 made the soil waterlogged, worsening floods as Raymond approached. Over 300 localities 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.