Friday, October 11, 2013

'Super Cyclone Phailin' Has Potential To Create 'Havoc'

By Ramesh Reddy / Hyderabad

The super cyclone Phailin may create havoc in targetted states Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, Lakshman Singh Rathore, DG, Cyclone, Met Department, said. This storm has very high damage potential as wind speed is very high. Even huge objects may fly and there is a possibility of breaking down of communication towers. 
There could be flood like situation in coastal areas. Cyclone Phailin is 450 kms away from the coast of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. Strong intensity wind speed of 200 to 220 kms per hour expected when Cyclone Phailin hits the coast. It is likely to hit Orissa and Andhra Pradesh around Gopalpur by 6 pm on October 12. 

The maximum impact will be in coastal Orissa and North coastal Andhra. Heavy to very heavy rainfall will be take place in some parts of Orissa. The rainfall can be more than 25 cm per hour.

The cyclone that is headed towards the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coast along the Bay of Bengal is named ‘Phalin’. Phailin is the Thai word for sapphire and according to the followed procedure of naming tropical cyclones over north Indian Ocean it was turn of a name suggested by Thailand in the list of assigned names. 

The next cyclone in the region will be called Helen, a name from the list of cyclone names given by Bangladesh. The practice of naming tropical cyclones began years ago in order to help in the quick identification of storms in warning messages because names are presumed to be far easier to remember than the numbers and technical terms. 

Many agree that appending names to storms makes it easier for the media to report on tropical cyclones, heightens interest in warnings and increases community preparedness.

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