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The Izu Islands have faced yet another severe impact as tropical cyclone Nakri moved across the region on Monday, coming just after Typhoon Halong, which hit a week earlier.

Initial Consequences on the Island of Hachijojima

Local authorities on Hachijojima reported disruption and damage to about 220 homes after the storm 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 storm also generated 9-metre waves, leading to hazardous shoreline situations. Near Oiso on the Pacific side, 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 extratropical cyclone, losing strength while traveling east 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 the Canadian province of British Columbia, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.

Remembering Halong's Impact

A week earlier, Halong had unleashed over 200mm of precipitation within 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 typhoon’s remnants then traveled over the northern Pacific and reached Alaska on Sunday, bringing a record-breaking 2-metre storm surge.

Alaska's Severe Damage

The seaside communities Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the most affected. One person died, homes were destroyed, 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 stands as among the strongest cyclones the region has experienced. 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 nation faced two consecutive hits last week as the leftovers of Priscilla and Raymond converged, 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 made the soil waterlogged, intensifying flooding when Raymond arrived. Over 300 localities were impacted by mudslides and river overflows. By Wednesday, 66 people have been confirmed dead and 75 remain missing. Search and relief efforts persist, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in remote zones.