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The Izu archipelago have endured another powerful blow as Typhoon Nakri swept through the region on Monday, coming just after storm Halong, which hit seven days prior.

Immediate Impact on Hachijojima Island

Officials on Hachijojima Island 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 heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the island chain. The typhoon also produced waves as high as 9 meters, leading to hazardous shoreline situations. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, in the Kanagawa region, 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 gusts reducing to around 65mph as of Thursday. Moving along the air current, its remaining parts are headed to reach British Columbia, Canada, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.

Remembering Halong's Impact

Seven days before, Halong had unleashed over 200mm of precipitation within three hours, as peak wind speeds hit 122mph. By the late morning of the previous Thursday, precipitation levels climbed to 349mm, shattering the 24-hour record. The storm's leftovers 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 seaside communities Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the hardest hit. A single fatality occurred, homes were destroyed, 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 stands as one of the most powerful storms the area has ever seen. Its quick strengthening was fuelled by unusually warm north Pacific waters, which provided extra heat and moisture.

Double Trouble in Mexico

Meanwhile, the country endured a double blow last week as the leftovers of Priscilla and Raymond converged, dumping about 609mm of rain in 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 initial heavy rains from Priscilla left the ground saturated, 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.