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The Izu Islands have faced yet another severe impact as tropical cyclone Nakri moved across the region on Monday, following in the footsteps of storm Halong, which hit seven days prior.

Immediate Impact on Hachijojima Island

Local authorities on Hachijojima reported disruption and damage to about 220 homes after the typhoon brought 37mm (1.5in) of rain in one hour and wind bursts reaching 95mph. Flight services were interrupted, infrastructure damaged, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the group of islands. 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 fishermen were carried off by waves, one of whom has been confirmed dead.

Nakri's Transformation

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 remnants are on track to reach British Columbia, Canada, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.

Recalling Halong's Fury

A week earlier, Halong discharged more than 200mm of rain in three hours, as maximum sustained winds reached 122mph. By late morning last Thursday, rainfall totals reached 349mm, breaking the daily rainfall record. The typhoon’s remnants then crossed the north 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 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 among the strongest cyclones the area has ever seen. Its rapid intensification was driven by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which supplied additional warmth and humidity.

Double Trouble in Mexico

At the same time, the country faced two consecutive hits last week as the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond combined, dumping about 609mm of rain in four days across the central and eastern areas. Steered by a dip in the jet stream, both systems hit the same area in quick succession. The initial heavy rains from Priscilla made the soil waterlogged, worsening floods as Raymond approached. Over 300 localities were affected by landslides and overflowing rivers. By Wednesday, 66 people have been confirmed dead and 75 individuals are still unaccounted for. Rescue and recovery operations are continuing, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in remote zones.