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The Izu Islands have endured another powerful blow as Typhoon Nakri moved across the region on Monday, following in the footsteps of Typhoon Halong, which struck a week earlier.

Initial Consequences on the Island of Hachijojima

Officials on Hachijojima Island reported disruption and damage to approximately 220 residences after the typhoon brought an hour of rainfall totaling 37mm and wind bursts reaching 95mph. Airport operations were disrupted, public facilities harmed, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the island chain. The typhoon also produced waves as high as 9 meters, creating dangerous coastal conditions. Off the Pacific coast in Oiso, in Kanagawa prefecture, three men were swept away while fishing, with one fatality reported.

Nakri's Transformation

Nakri has since transitioned into an non-tropical storm system, losing strength while traveling east over cooler north Pacific waters, with gusts reducing to around 65mph as of Thursday. Riding the jet stream, its remnants are on track to reach British Columbia, Canada, delivering intense precipitation, powerful gusts, and coastal flooding.

Recalling Halong's Fury

Seven days before, Halong had unleashed over 200mm of precipitation within three hours, as maximum sustained winds reached 122mph. By late morning last Thursday, rainfall totals reached 349mm, shattering the 24-hour record. The storm's leftovers then crossed the north 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 most affected. A single fatality occurred, 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 evacuate displaced residents. Halong stands as one of the most powerful storms the region has experienced. Its rapid intensification was fuelled by unusually warm north Pacific waters, which provided extra heat and moisture.

Twin Disasters in Mexico

At the same time, the country faced two consecutive hits last week as the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond converged, dumping about 609mm of rain in four days across the central and eastern areas. 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, 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 individuals are still unaccounted for. Rescue and recovery operations are continuing, with standing water causing health worries in remote zones.