Cyclone Amphan's name & meaning explained: All about the 'extremely severe' cyclonic storm

As Cyclone Amphan approaches dangerously close to Bay of Bengal, authorities have started evacuating residents from vulnerable locations and moving m to relief shelters. Odisha Chief Secretary Asit Kumar Tripathy on Monday revealed that State evacuated around 60,000 people as a precautionary measure. WB CM Mamata Banerjee also announced as many as 3 lakh people have been rescued so far from State.

According to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Amphan is now strongest cyclone ever recorded in Bay of Bengal, surpassing 1999 Odisha super cyclone at 260kmph. With NDRF and or frontline workers waiting on heel to step in and help as Amphan is expected to make a landfall Bengal today, May 20, authorities expect it to weaken into an 'extremely severe' category cyclonic storm.

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It might be important at this stage to note that naming a cyclone makes communications easier as it reduces confusion when multiple tropical storms are occurring at same time.

How was Cyclone Amphan named?

word 'Amphan', pronounced "Um-pun", originates from Thai and means "sky". name was suggested by Thailand back in 2004. names are chosen from a list by a host of member countries part of World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), a specialised agency within UN's Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific. (ESCAP). 

Originally formed in 1972, ESCAP panel included Banglesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand. However, in 2018, panel expanded to include five more countries from West Asia - Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen. With inclusion of new States, list now has 169 names, enabling all 13 member countries to suggest 13 names each. 

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As it stands, all cyclones that form in ocean basins in this part of world are named by se countries in West Asian and APAC regions. authority to name cyclones forming in region is mandated to m by organisation which explains reason for it is to reduce confusion and make it easier for people to remember and refer to names. 

Thailand's suggestion was reportedly last one on current list. Once all 169 names are over, a new list is constituted by member-states and same method is followed. According to Press Information Bureau update, next few cyclones will be named as follows:

Nisarga - Banglesh
Gati - India
Nivar - Iran 
Burevi - Maldives
Tauktae - Myanmar
Yaas - Oman

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