Remal Makes Landfall On Bangladesh Coast: How & Why Are Cyclones Named?

Cyclone Remal made landfall on the Bangladesh coast on Sunday. The cyclone is likely to land into the adjoining West Bengal region around midnight, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted. It is the first cyclone over the Bay of Bengal in this pre-monsoon season.

According to the weather agency, the cyclone is expected to bring heavy rainfall and strong winds to West Bengal, coastal Bangladesh other northeastern states.

Amid the development, let’s understand how Cyclone Mocha was named:

How did Cyclone ‘Remal’ get its name?

The cyclone that is hurtling towards the West Bengal and Bangladesh coastlines with landfall has been named ‘Remal’ as per the standard convention of naming tropical cyclones in the region.

The IMD follows a specific naming convention for tropical cyclones forming in the North Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

According to this convention, Regional specialised meteorological centres (RSMCs) and Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs) name every cyclone around the world. As part of the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres (RSMCs), the IMD collaborates with other regional countries to designate names for tropical cyclones.

What does ‘Remal’ mean?

The name “Remal”, means “sand” in Arabic. The name was given by Oman. Cyclone Remal is the first pre-monsoon cyclone in the Bay of Bengal this season.

Why Are Cyclones Given Names?

According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), an agency under the United Nations, there can be more than one cyclone at a time in a particular geographical location or around the globe and the systems can last for a week or more. Therefore, each tropical storm is given a name to avoid confusion, facilitating disaster risk awareness, management and mitigation.

Each cyclone is recognised by alphabetical names given by the WMO. These names are provided by member nations of the organisation.

The 13 Member Nations

In view of the effective cyclone warning and disaster mitigation in the North Indian Ocean region, the WMO came together in 1972 to establish the Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC).

The PTC originally comprised eight member nations — Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sultanate of Oman and Thailand. Howver, the panel expanded in 2018 and included Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen in its list of member nations.

How Is India Preparing For Cyclone Remal?

In efforts to prepare for Cyclone Remal, the IMD has advised fishermen to avoid venturing into the north Bay of Bengal until Monday morning. The cyclone Remal is expected to make landfall between Sagar Island in West Bengal and Bangladesh’s Khepupara on May 26.

A red alert has been issued for the coastal districts of West Bengal, including South and North 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur.

Kolkata, Howrah, and Hooghly are also put on high alert by the authorities, with expectations of extremely heavy rainfall on Sunday and Monday. Several adjoining regions are also likely to receive heavy rainfall.

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