Cyclones are natural occurrences that occur when low pressure exists over a basin. India is a sub-tropical region and cyclones occur in tropical and subtropical areas at a high rate. There are certain methods of naming a cyclone so that it can be distinguished from others. Cyclones were named arbitrarily in the past, but currently they are named in a systemic matter.
Cyclones
The cyclones that are created over any ocean basin are named by the regional specialised meteorological centres and tropical cyclone warning centres. There are a total of six regional specialised meteorological centres all over the globe. Since 2000, the world meteorological organisation (WMO) and the United Nations economic and social commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) have been naming all the cyclones hitting the earth. There are several other organisations that name cyclones. In the case of India, the Indian meteorological department generally names the cyclones that occur over the northern part of the Indian ocean, including both the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. In 2000, a group of nations such as India, Oman, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Thailand built one such regional specialised meteorological centre to name the cyclones which are formed in this region. Later in 2018, five more countries were added to this organization, which are Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE (United Arab Emirates), Qatar, and Yemen. All these countries suggest names and send this list of suggested names to the World Meteorological Organisation or the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for the Asia Pacific (ESCAP), and these two bodies finalise the names of cyclones. The Indian meteorological department also issues advisories on cyclones occurring in 12 adjoining nations. The cyclones are named so that they can easily be distinguished. As it is difficult for ordinary people to identify cyclones with their complex meteorological names, even easy names make it appealing to the media, and it is easier for the disaster management authorities to spread awareness among the masses. In areas that witness multiple cyclones in a year, it is easier for the disaster management authorities to spread awareness about a particular cyclone.
Guidelines to naming a Cyclone
There are certain guidelines followed by the regional specialised meteorological organisation to name any particular cyclone. The guidelines are,
The name should be neutral towards any political conflict, religious ideology, eminent figures, social norms, and cultures.
The names should be gender neutral too.
The name should never hurt the sentiments of any community across the globe.
The name shouldn’t sound rude or unkind.
The name should be short and easy to pronounce.
The name can have a maximum of 8 letters and should be inoffensive to all.
The names of cyclones that occur in the northern part of the Indian Ocean should never be repeated again.
Cyclones mostly occur in coastal areas where a deep low-pressure zone has been created. The cyclones that occur in the northern part of the Indian Ocean are very destructive in nature, and every year these cyclones affect the eastern coast of India, the coastal areas of West Bengal, Orissa, and Bangladesh. In the past decade, several severe cyclones have hit this area and destroyed property worth millions of rupees. These kinds of cyclones have also affected the world’s largest mangrove, the Sundarbans, and due to cyclones, many people have lost their lives.
Conclusion
Cyclones are natural disasters that occur majorly in tropical and subtropical areas. When a cyclone strikes, it majorly affects the coastal areas, killing people and livestock and destroying properties. Cyclones are given names for identification purposes, and different government exam aspirants must have deep knowledge of cyclone names as questions are asked about this part.