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

The Izu archipelago have endured another powerful blow as Typhoon Nakri swept through the region on Monday, coming just after Typhoon Halong, which hit a week earlier.

Initial Consequences 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, 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, one of whom has been confirmed dead.

Nakri's Transformation

Nakri has since transitioned into an non-tropical storm system, weakening as it moved eastwards over cooler north Pacific waters, with gusts reducing to around 65mph as of Thursday. Moving along the air current, its remnants are on track to reach the Canadian province of British Columbia, delivering intense precipitation, powerful gusts, and coastal flooding.

Recalling Halong's Fury

A week earlier, Halong discharged more than 200mm of rain in 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. One person died, homes were destroyed, and nearly 1,500 people had to evacuate to safe zones. Alaska experienced an historic mass evacuation by air to relocate affected individuals. Halong stands as among the strongest cyclones the region has experienced. Its quick strengthening was fuelled by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which provided extra heat and moisture.

Twin Disasters in Mexico

Meanwhile, the nation faced two consecutive hits 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. 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 left the ground saturated, intensifying flooding when Raymond arrived. Over 300 localities were impacted by mudslides and river overflows. By Wednesday, 66 fatalities were verified and 75 individuals are still unaccounted for. Search and relief efforts persist, with standing water causing health worries in isolated areas.

Brian Hernandez
Brian Hernandez

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