🔗 Share this article

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

Initial Consequences on Hachijojima Island

Local authorities on Hachijojima noted interruptions and destruction to about 220 homes after the typhoon brought an hour of rainfall totaling 37mm and gusts of up to 95mph (152km/h). Flight services were interrupted, infrastructure damaged, and intense rains caused ground slides across the group of islands. The storm also generated 9-metre waves, leading to hazardous shoreline situations. Off the Pacific coast in Oiso, in Kanagawa prefecture, three men were swept away while fishing, with one fatality reported.

The Evolution of Nakri

Nakri has since transitioned into an non-tropical storm system, weakening as it moved eastwards 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 British Columbia, Canada, delivering intense precipitation, powerful gusts, and coastal flooding.

Remembering Halong's Impact

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, precipitation levels climbed to 349mm, breaking the daily rainfall record. The storm's leftovers then crossed the north Pacific and reached Alaska on Sunday, causing an unprecedented 2-meter coastal surge.

Significant Harm in Alaska

The seaside communities Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the most affected. 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 relocate affected individuals. Halong remains one of the most powerful storms the area has ever seen. Its rapid intensification was fuelled by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which supplied additional warmth and humidity.

Double Trouble in Mexico

At the same time, the nation 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. Guided by a trough in the air current, both systems hit the same area in quick succession. The first deluge from Priscilla made the soil waterlogged, intensifying flooding when Raymond arrived. Over 300 localities were affected by landslides and overflowing rivers. As of Wednesday, 66 people have been confirmed dead and 75 remain missing. Search and relief efforts persist, with standing water causing health worries in remote zones.