DNA Explainer: The process of naming cyclones, its benefits and criteria - All you need to know

With Cyclone Tauktae intensifying into a cyclonic storm today, severe floods have been predicted for the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Water levels are likely to reach 'danger' and highest flood levels, the Central Water Commission (CWC) said on Saturday.

This is the first cyclonic storm this year. Over the next 12 hours, Cyclone Tauktae is likely to intensify further into a 'very severe cyclonic storm' and is expected to cross the Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Naliya in a couple of days.

The first cyclone of 2021 has been named 'Tauktae' (pronounced as Tau'Te) by Myanmar, meaning a highly vocal lizard GECKO. The cyclone names are given by countries on a rotation basis in the region. But do you know how the cyclones are named?

How is a cyclone named?

The tradition of naming cyclones was first introduced by countries around the Atlantic Sea in the year 1953.

But later, a system was created that only those countries, around which the storm is rising, will give it a name.

For the Indian Ocean region, deliberations for naming cyclones began in 2000, and a formula was agreed upon in 2004.

Eight countries in the region - Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand all contributed a set of names.

Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen were also added to this list in the year 2018.

According to the first letter of the names suggested from these 13 countries, their order is decided and the names of cyclonic storms are kept in the same order.

Benefits of naming a cyclone

Thinking behind naming storms is that people take warnings more seriously because of the name.

Naming helps the scientific community, experts, disaster management teams, and the general public to identify each cyclone.

It also gets easy for the media to report on stories surrounding cyclones.

It removes confusion if two or more cyclones are occurring simultaneously over the region.

 It allows to disseminate the warnings effectively to a much wider audience and increases community preparedness.

Naming also helps in future reference when a past cyclone needs to be mentioned or discussed.

Criteria for naming cyclones

There are certain conditions for naming storms like the name should be short and simple, which people can easily speak and understand.

No cyclone name should be culturally and religiously sensitive.