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The Izu Islands have faced yet another severe impact as Typhoon Nakri moved across the region on Monday, coming just after storm Halong, which hit a week earlier.

Initial Consequences on the Island of Hachijojima

Officials on Hachijojima Island reported disruption and damage to approximately 220 residences 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 heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the group of islands. The typhoon also produced waves as high as 9 meters, leading to hazardous shoreline situations. Off the Pacific coast in Oiso, in Kanagawa prefecture, three fishermen were carried off by waves, one of whom has been confirmed dead.

The Evolution of Nakri

The storm has since shifted 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 British Columbia, Canada, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.

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, breaking the daily rainfall record. The typhoon’s remnants then traveled over the northern Pacific and reached Alaska on Sunday, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.

Significant Harm in Alaska

The seaside communities Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the hardest hit. One person died, houses were ruined, and about 1,500 residents were forced into shelters. Alaska experienced an historic mass evacuation by air to relocate affected individuals. Halong remains one of the most powerful storms the area has ever seen. Its quick strengthening was fuelled by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which provided extra heat and moisture.

Double Trouble in Mexico

At the same time, the nation endured a double blow 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 left the ground saturated, intensifying flooding when Raymond arrived. Over 300 localities were impacted by mudslides and river overflows. As of Wednesday, 66 people have been confirmed dead and 75 individuals are still unaccounted for. Search and relief efforts persist, with standing water causing health worries in isolated areas.