Severe Cyclonic Storm Yaas is the tropical cyclone that is currently strengthening in the Bay of Bengal. It is set to hit eastern coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal on May 25. Why and how names tropical cyclones are named.
Tropical cyclones are named so that each of them can be identified individually and in case there are more, people will not be confused.
Names of the cyclones have some meaning. These names are carefully chosen. The last cyclone in Arabian Sea was named by Myanmar as Tauktae which means a lizard. Similarly, cyclone Yaas has been given by Oman and it refers to a tree.
The tropical cyclones forming over different Ocean basins are named by the concerned RSMCs (Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre for Tropical Cyclones) & TCWCs. For north Indian Ocean including Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, the RSMC, New Delhi assigns the name to tropical cyclones following a standard procedure.
The WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) at its twenty-seventh Session held in 2000 in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman agreed in principle to assign names to the tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.
The naming of the tropical cyclones over the north Indian Ocean commenced from September 2004. This list contained names proposed by Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand. While sending their suggestions, countries follow some rules such as: The proposed name should be neutral to politics and political figures religious beliefs, cultures and gender
The maximum length of the name will be eight letters. The proposed name should be provided along with its pronunciation and voice over. Same name can’t be given to another cyclone.
Source: The Economic Times
Ms Kalinga