Cyclone Mocha: Origin of its name and how cyclones get their names

Cyclone Mocha's name was suggested by Yemen and the name originates from the city of Mocha in Yemen, (Representational Photo).

Eastern Indian states have been put on alert after the Indian Meteorological Department's warning of gusty winds and heavy rains over the next few days.

A cyclonic circulation is lying over the southeast Bay of Bengal as well as the adjoining south Andaman Sea because of the recently developed Cyclone Mocha and can lead to heavy rains in the coastal areas.

Here's how the cyclone got its name and how cyclones are named in general:

How the cyclone got its name

Cyclone Mocha's name was suggested by Yemen and the name originates from the city of Mocha in Yemen, which is located on the Red Sea coast.

How are cyclones named

The system of naming cyclones was adopted by the World Meterological Organization and member countries of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission (ESCAP) intervene.

The names of cyclones depend on the regional rules. As per the WMO website, "In the Atlantic and in the Southern hemisphere (Indian ocean and South Pacific), tropical cyclones receive names in alphabetical order, and women and men's names are alternated. In the Northern Indian Ocean, nations began utilizing a new method for naming tropical cyclones in 2000; the names are listed alphabetically by country and are gender-neutral,". The World Health Organisation generally keeps a track of names.

Cyclones can last for more than a week and on several occasions, they can happen at the same time. Hence distinct names are given to avoid any misunderstandings.

Also read: Cyclone Mocha: Intense rain, rough sea warning for parts of east India