Japan's Archipelago Hit by Back-to-Back Tropical Storms

The Izu archipelago have faced yet another severe impact as tropical cyclone Nakri swept through the region on Monday, following in the footsteps of Typhoon Halong, which struck seven days prior.

Immediate Impact on Hachijojima Island

Local authorities on Hachijojima reported disruption and damage to about 220 homes after the typhoon brought an hour of rainfall totaling 37mm and wind bursts reaching 95mph. Flight services were interrupted, infrastructure damaged, and intense rains caused ground slides across the island chain. The storm 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, with one fatality reported.

Nakri's Transformation

Nakri has since transitioned into an extratropical cyclone, losing strength while traveling east over chilled northern Pacific seas, 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, delivering intense precipitation, powerful gusts, and coastal flooding.

Remembering Halong's Impact

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, rainfall totals reached 349mm, shattering the 24-hour record. The typhoon’s remnants then traveled over the northern Pacific and reached Alaska on Sunday, causing an unprecedented 2-meter coastal surge.

Significant Harm in Alaska

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 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 country faced two consecutive hits last week as the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond converged, 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. More than 300 communities were impacted by mudslides and river overflows. By Wednesday, 66 people have been confirmed dead and 75 individuals are still unaccounted for. Rescue and recovery operations are continuing, with standing water causing health worries in remote zones.