JE News Desk: Severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy is likely to make landfall in Saurashtra and Kutch region of Gujarat and adjoining areas in Pakistan today, June 15. Since the IMD predicted Cyclone Biaprjoy, the authorities have geared up for rescue operation and over 70,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas and relocated to shelter homes so far.

Cyclone Biparjoy is likely to make landfall in Gujarat between 4 to 5 pm on Thursday. As the cyclonic strom is approaching Gujarat, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a storm surge warning for Gujarat's coastal regions, stating that it is expected to inundate the low-lying sections of the Katch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, and Morbi districts.

What Is Cyclone

Cyclone is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure. It is a system of winds that rotates anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. Cyclones are caused by atmospheric disturbances around a low-pressure area distinguished by swift and often disruptive air circulation.

How Cyclones Are Formed

The formation of cyclones takes place in low-pressure areas when warm, moist air over the ocean rises upward from near the surface. Less air remains at the ocean's surface when this air rises and flows away from it. In other words, when the warm air rises, it creates a low-level area where the air pressure is reduced.

How Cyclones Are Named

There are six Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres (RSMCs) and five Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs) that give names to the cyclones that form in any ocean basin around the world. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is one of the six RSMCs which name cyclones developing over the north Indian Ocean, including the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.

13 member countries under the WMO/Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific (ESCAP) Panel include India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh and Yemen.

Why Cyclones Are Named And How Biparjoy Got Its Name

Cyclones are named to help people to identify them easily. Given names makes it easier for the media, scientific community and disaster management community to identify and report individual cyclones. It also decreases confusion when a particular area witnesses multiple cyclones.

Cyclone Biparjoy which is pronounced as 'Biporjoy’, was given by Bangladesh. The meaning of Biparjoy is 'disaster' or calamity' in 'Bengali.