‘Yaas’ Makes Landfall: Here’s How the Cyclone Got Its Unusual Name

The storm, expected to make landfall in Odisha’s Bhadrak at noon on Wednesday, has been given its name by Oman.

Rough sea in the Bay of Bengal ahead of Cyclone Yaas landfall, at Digha in East Midnapore district on Tuesday.

(Photo: PTI)

As cyclone 'Yaas' appears set to make landfall on the Indian coastal region on Wednesday, 26 May, Odisha and West Bengal faced heavy rain ahead of its arrival.

The name of the cyclone has spurred curiosity, with one wondering how cyclones are monikered.

Why Is It Called 'Yaas'?

The storm, brewing over the Bay of Bengal, has been given its name by Oman. 'Yaas,' meaning the flower jasmine in English, has its origin in the Persian language.

The naming of the cyclone has taken place in accordance with the conventions determined for the naming of cyclones in the Indian Ocean in 2004.

How Are Cyclones Named?

The World Meteorological Organisation and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific had, at its 27th session held in the year 2000, resolved to assign names to the tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.

The naming of cyclones allows the scientific community and disaster management experts to sufficiently identify cyclones and spread awareness about their impact to the populace.

While the designation of cyclones occurring in the Indian Ocean began in 2000, the guidelines for their naming were formulated in the year 2004.

A panel comprising 13 countries, including India, Myanmar, Oman Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Maldives, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, name cyclones in the region. The list of suggested names, containing 13 titles, one coined by each of the countries, had been released by the IMD previously.

The names are decided in a manner that ensures they are gender, politics, religion and culture neutral, and do not hurt the sentiments of any person or community, in addition to being short and easily pronounceable.

The IMD is responsible for naming the cyclones that develop over the North Indian Ocean following the standard convention.

The next cyclone in the region will be carry the name 'Gulab,' contributed by Pakistan, while the one after that will be called ‘Shaheen,' chosen by Qatar.