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The Izu archipelago have endured another powerful blow as Typhoon Nakri swept through the region on Monday, following in the footsteps of storm Halong, which hit a week earlier.

Immediate Impact on Hachijojima Island

Officials on Hachijojima Island noted interruptions and destruction to approximately 220 residences 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 heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the group of islands. The storm 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.

Nakri's Transformation

The storm has since shifted 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.

Recalling Halong's Fury

Seven days before, Halong discharged more than 200mm of rain in three hours, as peak wind speeds hit 122mph. By late morning last Thursday, rainfall totals reached 349mm, breaking the daily rainfall record. The typhoon’s remnants then traveled over the northern Pacific and arrived in Alaska on Sunday, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.

Alaska's Severe Damage

The coastal villages of 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 evacuate displaced residents. Halong remains among the strongest cyclones the region has experienced. Its quick strengthening was driven 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 leftovers of Priscilla and Raymond combined, releasing nearly 609mm of precipitation over four days across central and eastern regions. Steered by a dip in the jet stream, the two weather events struck the same zone one after another. The first deluge from Priscilla left the ground saturated, worsening floods as Raymond approached. More than 300 communities 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.