Context:
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for parts of southern India due to heavy rainfall as Cyclone Fengal is expected to make landfall along the Tamil Nadu coast this evening.
More On News:
- Fengal was located over the southwest Bay of Bengal, about 360 km north of Trincomalee, 230 km east-northeast of Nagapattinam, and 210 km southeast of Chennai.
- The cyclone is moving west-northwestward at 7 km/h and is expected to cross the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts near Puducherry on November 30, with wind speeds of 70-80 km/h, gusting up to 90 km/h.
- IMD stated that Tamil Nadu, South Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and interior Karnataka will experience heavy to extremely heavy rainfall.
Cyclone Fengal:
- The name “Fengal” was proposed by Saudi Arabia and is of Arabic origin.
- It reflects a mix of linguistic and cultural traditions, highlighting the diversity within the WMO/UNESCAP naming panel.
Cyclone Naming Process:
- Cyclone names like Fengal are chosen to be short, distinctive, and non-offensive in different languages to ensure they are easily understood and resonate universally across affected regions.
- Cyclones are named from a list created by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
- Each member state contributes 13 names, which are used in rotation and not reused once assigned.
- The cyclones will be named after Fengal, the next cyclone will be named Shakhti (from Sri Lanka), followed by Montha (from Thailand).
Some of the recent Cyclones:
| Cyclone Name | Landfall Location | Date | Name Meaning | Suggested By |
| Dana | Odisha Coast | October 2024 | Generosity | Qatar |
| Remal | Between Sagar Island (India) and Khepupara (Bangladesh) | May 2024 | Sand | Oman |
| Mandous | North Tamil Nadu Coast near Mamallapuram | December 2022 | None available | UAE |
| Sitrang | Bangladesh | October 2022 | None available | Thailand |
| Asani | Andhra Pradesh Coast | May 2022 | Wrath | Sri Lanka |
| Ockhi | Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep | 2017 | Eye | Bangladesh |
| Mora | Northeast India | May 2017 | Star of the Sea | Thailand |
Names from India:
- Gati (speed)
- Megh (cloud)
- Akash (sky)
Names from Other Countries:
- Ogni, Helen, and Fani (Bangladesh)
- Laila, Nargis, and Bulbul (Pakistan)