As the East Indian coast braces for another cyclonic storm, Cyclone Dana is making headlines, with the potential to become a severe threat. Expected to make landfall late Thursday, October 24th, the storm is already causing weather disruptions in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, a precursor to its expected impact on Odisha and West Bengal.
But before we delve into the weather warnings, let’s take a closer look at the intriguing name itself – Dana. Why was this particular name chosen for this powerful weather system? The answer lies in a well-established global naming convention that governs how cyclones are identified.
In this case, Cyclone Dana’s name was bestowed by Qatar, a member nation of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). The name itself, “Dana,” is Arabic for “generosity,” a fitting choice given the potential impact of such a storm.
But how does the process of naming cyclones work? The WMO, a United Nations agency, has a dedicated system in place to ensure that cyclones are given unique and recognizable names. This system involves regional groups of nations, each contributing a list of names for the cyclones that form in their respective areas.
For the region covering the North Indian Ocean, a group of thirteen nations participates. This group includes Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Each nation contributes thirteen names to the list. The WMO then carefully compiles these submissions into a rotating list, ensuring that every cyclone receives a unique name. The naming system started in 2000 and was expanded in 2018 to include the additional nations mentioned above.
So, as Cyclone Dana makes its way towards the Indian coast, it’s important to remember that the name itself reflects a global system of collaboration and cooperation. It’s a reminder that the world is working together to ensure that these powerful storms are identified and tracked effectively, allowing for preparedness and mitigation efforts to protect communities and minimize the impact of these natural disasters.