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The Izu Islands have endured another powerful blow as tropical cyclone Nakri moved across the area on Monday, following in the footsteps of storm Halong, which hit a week earlier.

Immediate Impact on Hachijojima Island

Officials on Hachijojima Island 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). Airport operations were disrupted, public facilities harmed, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the island chain. The typhoon also produced waves as high as 9 meters, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Off the Pacific coast in Oiso, in the Kanagawa region, three fishermen were carried off by waves, with one fatality reported.

Nakri's Transformation

The storm has since shifted into an non-tropical storm system, losing strength while traveling east 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

Seven days before, Halong had unleashed over 200mm of precipitation within three hours, as maximum sustained winds reached 122mph. By the late morning of the previous Thursday, rainfall totals reached 349mm, shattering the 24-hour record. The typhoon’s remnants then crossed the north 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. One person died, homes were destroyed, 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 nation endured a double blow last week as the leftovers of Priscilla and Raymond converged, dumping about 609mm of rain in four days across the central and eastern areas. Steered by a dip in the jet stream, both systems hit the same area in quick succession. The first deluge 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 fatalities were verified and 75 remain missing. Search and relief efforts persist, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in remote zones.