- Cyclone remal is a tropical cyclone in the Northern Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal).
- Remal means “sand” in Arabic.
- It was named by Oman.
- This naming follows a standard protocol for cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.
Cyclone
- A cyclone is a large-scale system of air that rotates around the centre of a low-pressure area. It is usually accompanied by violent storms and bad weather.
- It is characterised by inward spiralling winds that rotate anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Main features of a Tropical Cyclone:
- The centre of a cyclone is very calm and clear with very low air pressure. The average speed is 120 kmph.
- They have closed isobars which leads to greater velocity.
- Isobars are imaginary lines on a weather map that connect locations with equal atmospheric pressure.
- They develop over oceans and sea only. They are seasonal in nature.
- They move from east to west under the influence of trade winds.
Landfall of a cyclone
- Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone coming onto land after being over water.
- As per the IMD, a tropical cyclone is said to have made a landfall when the center of the storm – or its eye – moves over the coast.
- The “eye” of a cyclone is a region of relatively calm weather found at the center of the storm.
- It is a circular or oval-shaped area characterized by light winds, clear or partly cloudy skies, and decreased precipitation.
- Within the eye, winds are light and variable, often with clear or only partially cloudy skies.
- The size of the eye can vary significantly, ranging from a few kilometers to over 50 kilometers (30 miles) in diameter in larger cyclones.
- During landfall, the outer bands of the storm may have already reached the coast, bringing strong winds, heavy rain, and storm surge.
- A landfall should not be confused with a ‘direct hit’, which refers to a situation where the core of high winds (or eyewall) comes onshore but the centre of the storm may stay remain offshore.
Why more Cyclones are formed in Bay of Bengal than the Arabian Sea:
Cyclone management – Steps taken by India
- National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP):
- Launched by the MHA, this project aims to reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities and infrastructure to cyclones and storm surges.
- It focuses on capacity building, early warning systems, cyclone shelters, evacuation planning, and community awareness.
- IMD’s Colour Coding of Cyclones: Four colours – Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red – are used by IMD to make people aware about the severity of cyclones.
- Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Project
- Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ)
- Other general steps taken:
- National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
- National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP)
- National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM)
- State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs)
