You too can name cyclones

Miami: It was a convention began by Miami’s National Hurricane Centre in 1953 that decided to name all hurricanes and cyclones. The practice was ratified by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a Geneva-based agency of the United Nations.

Eight countries – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Sri Lanka and Thailand – took part. They came up with a list of 64 names – eight names from each country – for upcoming cyclones.

The list goes alphabetically, according to each country. The last cyclone in the region was Nanauk in June, a name contributed by Myanmar.

Names can be suggested by the general public in the member country or by the government. India, for example, welcomes suggestions on the condition that the name must be “short and readily understood when broadcast, not culturally sensitive and not convey some unintended and potentially inflammatory meaning”.

One of the reasons, according to Dr M Mahapatra, who heads India’s cyclone warning centre, was that in an “ethnically diverse region we needed to be very careful and neutral in picking up the names so that it did not hurt the sentiments of people”.

One of the reasons, according to Dr M Mahapatra, who heads India’s cyclone warning centre, was that in an “ethnically diverse region we needed to be very careful and neutral in picking up the names so that it did not hurt the sentiments of people”.

So this time, following the alphabetical order, it is Oman’s turn. Last year, Phailin, the name for a massive cyclone which battered India’s south-eastern coast and led to the evacuation of more than 500,000 people, was provided by Thailand. Some of the Indian names in the queue are the more prosaic Megh (Cloud), Sagar (Ocean) and Vayu (Wind).

The Hudhud, or hoopoe bird, is an exotic creature noticed for its distinctive crown of feathers and is widespread in Europe, Asia and North Africa.

Next time a cyclone hits the region, it’s Pakistan’s turn to give it a name. It will be called Nilofar. Last time Pakistan named a cyclone was Nilam in November 2012.