Why Were Indian Cyclones Named Tauktae and Yaas?

Cyclone Yaas has made landfall at Odisha at 9.30 am on Wednesday and has hit the eastern coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal. Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, and Balasore in Odisha have received a "Red Alert," while Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khorda, and Puri have received an "Orange Alert." Last week, Maharashtra, Diu and Gujarat were hit by Cyclone Tauktae.

Do you know why and how cyclones are named?

The names of cyclones are known to be decided years before the cyclone is born. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) keeps track of cyclone names that form in the northern Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, and Arabian Sea.

The 13 countries panel of the United Nation’s Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) sent its suggestions for tropical cyclone names. The WMO and ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones decided on a final list of names. Bangladesh, India, Iran, the Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen are among the 13 countries on the panel, which will choose a name from the finalised list for the next cyclone to form in the region in alphabetical order.

Cyclone Tauktae was named by Myanmar. The word translates to a ‘highly vocal lizard’. Similarly, Oman has named Cyclone Yaas, which refers to a tree.

A cyclone's name makes it easier for people to remember and identify individual cyclones while removing confusion, creating awareness of its development, while disseminating warnings for community preparedness.