Tropical Cyclone Arnab is forecast to make landfall. Bangladesh has assigned the name Arnab to this cyclone. Although the name Arnab originates from Sanskrit, it means “ocean” in Bengali. The name symbolises the depth, vastness, and immensity of the storm.
Tropical cyclones have increasingly become a major threat to human life and property. These storms can cause widespread destruction, disrupt normal life, and necessitate extensive precautionary measures.
“Tropical” refers to the geographical regions in which these storms typically form. They develop over warm tropical and subtropical seas, including parts of the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Bay of Bengal, and Arabian Sea. Tropical cyclones affect countries and territories across Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia, Australia, the Arabian Peninsula, Japan, China, Mexico, the United States, New Zealand, Palau, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Micronesia, and Polynesia, among others.
Given their widespread occurrence and potential impact, it is essential to have a systematic naming convention for individual cyclones. Names are easier to remember than numbers or technical designations and facilitate communication through the media. They also help authorities communicate information about a storm’s development, raise public awareness, and encourage people to take preventive measures.
To coordinate cyclone monitoring and warnings worldwide, six Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres (RSMCs) and six Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs) have designated responsibilities for different oceanic regions. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) jointly established the Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) in 1972 as an intergovernmental body. The cyclone-naming procedures and lists used in the relevant regions are established through the applicable regional arrangements.
According to the naming guidelines, cyclone names should be short, easy to pronounce, and culturally sensitive, with a maximum of eight letters under the relevant North Indian Ocean naming convention. They should not be offensive or discriminatory and should avoid references that could be considered insensitive on the grounds of religion, gender, politics, or other cultural and social considerations.
Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres
The six Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres (RSMCs) and their areas of responsibility are as follows:
1. RSMC Nadi – Tropical Cyclone Centre, Fiji Meteorological Service: Responsible for the South-West Pacific region.
2. RSMC La Réunion – Tropical Cyclone Centre, Météo-France: Responsible for the South-West Indian Ocean region.
3. RSMC New Delhi – India Meteorological Department (IMD): Responsible for the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea region.
4. Tokyo Typhoon Centre – Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA): Responsible for the western North Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea region.
5. Honolulu Hurricane Centre: Responsible for the Central North Pacific Ocean region.
6. Miami Hurricane Centre – National Hurricane Center (NHC): Responsible for the North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and eastern North Pacific Ocean regions.
Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres
The six Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs) and their respective areas of responsibility are as follows:
1. Jakarta Meteorological and Geophysical Agency (BMG): Responsible for the Indonesian region.
2. Wellington Meteorological Service of New Zealand: Responsible for the Tasman Sea region.
3. Port Moresby National Weather Service, Papua New Guinea: Responsible for the Solomon Sea and Gulf of Papua region.
4. Brisbane Bureau of Meteorology, Australia: Responsible for the Coral Sea region.
5. Darwin Bureau of Meteorology, Australia: Responsible for the Arafura Sea and Gulf of Carpentaria region.
6. Perth Bureau of Meteorology, Australia: Responsible for the south-eastern Indian Ocean region.
How Cyclones Are Named in the North Indian Ocean
The naming of tropical cyclones in the North Indian Ocean began in 2004. Under the regional naming system, names are proposed by the member countries of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones.
The 13 member countries, listed alphabetically, are:
1. Bangladesh
2. India
3. Iran
4. Maldives
5. Myanmar
6. Oman
7. Pakistan
8. Qatar
9. Saudi Arabia
10. Sri Lanka
11. Thailand
12. United Arab Emirates (UAE)
13. Yemen
The list of cyclone names has been revised periodically. It contains names contributed by the member countries, arranged in a prescribed sequence. Each country contributes names, and the names are used in the order established under the regional naming system. Once a name has been used, it is not reused from that list.
The following is a simplified list of cyclone names intended to help the general public understand the names assigned to forthcoming storms. The country responsible for proposing each name is given in brackets.
List of Cyclone Names
1. Murasu (India)
2. Akvan (Iran)
3. Kaani (Maldives)
4. Ngamann (Myanmar)
5. Sail (Oman)
6. Sahab (Pakistan)
7. Lulu (Qatar)
8. Ghazeer (Saudi Arabia)
9. Gigum (Sri Lanka)
10. Thianyot (Thailand)
11. Afoor (UAE)
12. Diksam (Yemen)
13. Upakul (Bangladesh)
14. Aag (India)
15. Sepand (Iran)
16. Odi (Maldives)
17. Kyarthit/Kjathi (Myanmar)
18. Naseem (Oman)
19. Afshan (Pakistan)
20. Mauj (Qatar)
21. Asif (Saudi Arabia)
22. Gagana (Sri Lanka)
23. Bulan (Thailand)
24. Nahhaam (UAE)
25. Sira (Yemen)
26. Barshon (Bangladesh)
27. Vyom (India)
28. Booran (Iran)
29. Kenau (Maldives)
30. Sapakyee (Myanmar)
31. Muzn (Oman)
32. Manahil (Pakistan)
33. Suhail (Qatar)
34. Sidrah (Saudi Arabia)
35. Verambha (Sri Lanka)
36. Phutala (Thailand)
37. Quffal (UAE)
38. Bakhur (Yemen)
39. Rajani (Bangladesh)
40. Jhar (India)
41. Anahita (Iran)
42. Endheri (Maldives)
43. Wetwun (Myanmar)
44. Sadeem (Oman)
45. Shujana (Pakistan)
46. Sadaf (Qatar)
47. Hareed (Saudi Arabia)
48. Garjana (Sri Lanka)
49. Aiyara (Thailand)
50. Daaman (UAE)
51. Ghwyzi (Yemen)
52. Nishith (Bangladesh)
53. Probaho (India)
54. Azar (Iran)
55. Riyau (Maldives)
56. Mwarhout (Myanmar)
57. Dima (Oman)
58. Parwaz (Pakistan)
59. Reem (Qatar)
60. Faid (Saudi Arabia)
61. Neeba (Sri Lanka)
62. Saming (Thailand)
63. Deem (UAE)
64. Hawf (Yemen)
65. Urmi (Bangladesh)
66. Neer (India)
67. Pooyan (Iran)
68. Guruva (Maldives)
69. Kywe (Myanmar)
70. Manjour (Oman)
71. Zannata (Pakistan)
72. Rayhan (Qatar)
73. Kaseer (Saudi Arabia)
74. Ninnada (Sri Lanka)
75. Kaison (Thailand)
76. Gagoor (UAE)
77. Balhaf (Yemen)
78. Meghala (Bangladesh)
79. Prabhanjan (India)
80. Arsham (Iran)
81. Kurangi (Maldives)
82. Pinku (Myanmar)
83. Rukam (Oman)
84. Sarsar (Pakistan)
85. Anbar (Qatar)
86. Nakheel (Saudi Arabia)
87. Viduli (Sri Lanka)
88. Matcha (Thailand)
89. Khubb (UAE)
90. Brom (Yemen)
91. Samiron (Bangladesh)
92. Ghurni (India)
93. Hengame (Iran)
94. Kuredhi (Maldives)
95. Yinkaung (Myanmar)
96. Watad (Oman)
97. Badban (Pakistan)
98. Oud (Qatar)
99. Haboob (Saudi Arabia)
100. Ogha (Sri Lanka)
101. Mahingsa (Thailand)
102. Degl (UAE)
103. Shuqra (Yemen)
104. Protikul (Bangladesh)
105. Ambud (India)
106. Savas (Iran)
107. Horangu (Maldives)
108. Linyone (Myanmar)
109. Al-Jarz (Oman)
110. Sarrab (Pakistan)
111. Bahar (Qatar)
112. Bareq (Saudi Arabia)
113. Salitha (Sri Lanka)
114. Phraewa (Thailand)
115. Athmad (UAE)
116. Fartak (Yemen)
117. Sarobor (Bangladesh)
118. Jaladhi (India)
119. Tahantan (Iran)
120. Thundi (Maldives)
121. Kyeekan (Myanmar)
122. Rahab (Oman)
123. Gulnar (Pakistan)
124. Seef (Qatar)
125. Alreem (Saudi Arabia)
126. Rivi (Sri Lanka)
127. Asuri (Thailand)
128. Boom (UAE)
129. Darshah (Yemen)
130. Mahanisha (Bangladesh)
131. Vega (India)
132. Toofan (Iran)
133. Fanaa (Maldives)
134. Batuphat (Myanmar)
135. Raad (Oman)
136. Waseq (Pakistan)
137. Fanar (Qatar)
138. Wabil (Saudi Arabia)
139. Rudu (Sri Lanka)
140. Thara (Thailand)
141. Saffar (UAE)
142. Samhah (Yemen)
Once the current list has been exhausted, a new list of names will be published. In the meantime, people must remain vigilant and take the necessary precautions against approaching tropical cyclones. Timely weather updates, early warnings, evacuation plans, and public awareness are crucial to protecting lives and property. Preparedness and collective action can significantly reduce the devastating effects of these natural hazards.
