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

Initial Consequences on Hachijojima Island

Local authorities on Hachijojima reported disruption and damage 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, public facilities harmed, and heavy rainfall triggered landslides across the island chain. 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

Nakri has since transitioned into an extratropical cyclone, 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 the Canadian province of British Columbia, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surges.

Remembering Halong's Impact

Seven days before, Halong had unleashed more than 200mm of rain in three hours, as maximum sustained winds reached 122mph. By the late morning of the previous Thursday, precipitation levels climbed to 349mm, breaking the daily rainfall record. The typhoon’s remnants then crossed the north Pacific and arrived in Alaska on Sunday, causing an unprecedented 2-meter coastal surge.

Significant Harm in Alaska

The seaside communities Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were the hardest hit. 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 remains among the strongest cyclones the area has ever seen. Its rapid intensification was driven by abnormally hot northern Pacific seas, which provided extra heat and moisture.

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, 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. More than 300 communities were impacted by mudslides and river overflows. By Wednesday, 66 fatalities were verified and 75 remain missing. Search and relief efforts persist, with stagnant floodwaters raising health concerns in remote zones.