Why is it in News?
- Cyclone Ditwah, located near Tamil Nadu’s coast, is weakening into a deep depression.
- Raises questions on how cyclones get their names, especially in the Indian Ocean region.
Relevance
GS 1 – Geography
- Tropical cyclones: formation, basins, regional naming protocols.
- North Indian Ocean cyclone system: Arabian Sea & Bay of Bengal.
GS 3 – Disaster Management
- IMD as RSMC for cyclone naming, warnings, advisories.
- Operational role of naming in communication, preparedness, risk reduction.
- WMO/ESCAP Panel functioning; country submissions; naming rules.
What Are Tropical Cyclone Names?
- Assigned by Regional Specialized Meteorological Centres (RSMCs) and Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs).
- For the North Indian Ocean (Arabian Sea + Bay of Bengal), naming is done by WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC).
Who Decides the Names?
- WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) formed in 2000.
- Member countries originally:
- Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand.
- Later expanded to include more countries (e.g., UAE, Yemen, Qatar, Iran, etc.).
- Each country submits a list of names.
How the Naming System Works ?
- Names are chosen on a rotational and sequential basis from contributions of all member countries.
- Each country submits multiple names, enough for many years.
- All nations must follow rules set by the panel.
Criteria for Cyclone Names
- Must be short, simple, and easy to pronounce.
- Should reflect the region’s culture, history, ecology, etc.
- Must not be offensive to any member country.
- Should not relate to:
- Religious beliefs
- Political leaders or parties
- Controversial or sensitive contexts
Example: Cyclone Ditwah
- “Ditwah” was submitted by Yemen.
- Fits the WMO guidelines: culturally relevant, short, non-offensive, easy to pronounce.
Why Naming Matters (Operational Importance) ?
- Clear communication for:
- Forecasting
- Disaster preparedness
- Public warnings
- Prevents confusion when multiple cyclones occur simultaneously.
- Improves recall and community-level awareness.
Naming for North Indian Ocean vs. Other Basins
- Unlike Atlantic or Pacific (where lists repeat every few years),
- Indian Ocean names are used only once.
- Once a name is used for a cyclone, it cannot be reused.
India’s Role
- IMD (New Delhi) is the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre for the region.
- Responsible for:
- Issuing advisories
- Assigning names from the approved list
- Maintaining cyclone records
Conclusion
- Tropical cyclone names in the Indian Ocean are assigned by the WMO/ESCAP panel using lists submitted by regional countries.
- Names must be simple, culturally appropriate, and non-offensive; once used, they are not repeated.
- Cyclone Ditwah, named by Yemen, follows this global naming protocol.
