Japan's Archipelago Hit by Back-to-Back Typhoons

The Izu archipelago have endured another powerful blow as Typhoon Nakri moved across the area on Monday, coming just after Typhoon 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 storm brought an hour of rainfall totaling 37mm and gusts of up to 95mph (152km/h). Flight services were interrupted, infrastructure damaged, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the island chain. The typhoon also generated 9-metre waves, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Off the Pacific coast in Oiso, in Kanagawa prefecture, three men were swept away while fishing, one of whom has been confirmed dead.

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 gusts reducing to around 65mph as of Thursday. Riding the jet stream, its remnants are on track to reach British Columbia, Canada, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.

Remembering Halong's Impact

A week earlier, Halong had unleashed 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, 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.

Significant Harm in Alaska

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. The state underwent one of the largest airlifts in its history to relocate affected individuals. Halong remains one of the most powerful storms the region has experienced. Its quick strengthening was fuelled by unusually warm north Pacific waters, which supplied additional warmth and humidity.

Double Trouble in Mexico

At the same time, the country endured a double blow last week as the leftovers of Priscilla and Raymond combined, releasing nearly 609mm of precipitation over four days across central and eastern regions. Guided by a trough in the air current, the two weather events struck the same zone one after another. The initial heavy rains from Priscilla left the ground saturated, worsening floods as Raymond approached. Over 300 localities were impacted by mudslides and river overflows. As of Wednesday, 66 people have been confirmed dead and 75 individuals are still unaccounted for. Search and relief efforts persist, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in remote zones.