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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 Hachijojima Island

Officials on Hachijojima Island reported disruption and damage to approximately 220 residences after the typhoon brought 37mm (1.5in) of rain in one hour and gusts of up to 95mph (152km/h). Flight services were interrupted, public facilities harmed, and intense rains caused ground slides across the island chain. The typhoon also produced waves as high as 9 meters, leading to hazardous shoreline situations. Off the Pacific coast in Oiso, in the Kanagawa region, three men were swept away while fishing, one of whom has been confirmed dead.

Nakri's Transformation

The storm has since shifted into an extratropical cyclone, 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 discharged more than 200mm of rain in three hours, as peak wind speeds hit 122mph. By late morning last Thursday, precipitation levels climbed to 349mm, shattering the 24-hour record. The storm's leftovers then crossed the north 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 most affected. A single fatality occurred, houses were ruined, 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 remains one of the most powerful storms the area has ever seen. Its quick strengthening was driven by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which supplied additional warmth and humidity.

Twin Disasters in Mexico

Meanwhile, the country 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 central and eastern regions. Guided by a trough in the air current, the two weather events struck the same zone one after another. The first deluge from Priscilla made the soil waterlogged, worsening floods as Raymond approached. Over 300 localities were affected by landslides and overflowing rivers. As of Wednesday, 66 fatalities were verified and 75 remain missing. Rescue and recovery operations are continuing, with standing water causing health worries in remote zones.