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

Initial Consequences on the Island of Hachijojima

Local authorities on Hachijojima noted interruptions and destruction to about 220 homes after the typhoon brought 37mm (1.5in) of rain in one hour and wind bursts reaching 95mph. Flight services were interrupted, public facilities harmed, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the island chain. The storm also produced waves as high as 9 meters, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, in the Kanagawa region, three men were swept away while fishing, with one fatality reported.

Nakri's Transformation

Nakri has since transitioned into an non-tropical storm system, weakening as it moved eastwards over chilled northern Pacific seas, with gusts reducing to around 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

A week earlier, Halong had unleashed more than 200mm of rain in three hours, as maximum sustained winds reached 122mph. By late morning last Thursday, rainfall totals reached 349mm, breaking the daily rainfall record. The storm's leftovers then traveled over the northern Pacific and reached Alaska on Sunday, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.

Alaska's Severe Damage

The seaside communities Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the hardest hit. One person died, 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 stands as among the strongest cyclones the area has ever seen. Its rapid intensification was driven by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which provided extra heat and moisture.

Double Trouble in Mexico

Meanwhile, 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 central and eastern regions. Guided by a trough in the air current, both systems hit the same area in quick succession. The initial heavy rains from Priscilla made the soil waterlogged, worsening floods as Raymond approached. Over 300 localities were impacted by mudslides and river overflows. As of Wednesday, 66 fatalities were verified and 75 individuals are still unaccounted for. Rescue and recovery operations are continuing, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in isolated areas.