New Delhi: Cyclonic storm ‘Tauktae’ hit several states on the west-coast of India today, brining heavy rains and prompting authorities to issue flood alerts and send in rescue teams to the affected states.

India has bit hit by various cyclones in the past such as Fani, Amphan, Vayu, Nisarga, etc. All these cyclones had different meanings and origins.

Here’s why the latest cyclone to hit India in 2021 was named ‘Tauktae’:

Who named Tauktae? The cyclone was over the east central and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea on Saturday. Cyclone Tauktae was named by Myanmar. The cyclone names are given by counties in the region on a rotational basis.

What is the meaning of Tauktae? It means ‘gecko’, a highly vocal lizard. A gecko is a lizard known for its distinctive vocalisations.

How to pronounce it? Tauktae is pronounced as Tau’Te.

Cyclone Tauktae hits Kerala, Karnataka. Several other states to be hit soon

The after-effects of the deep depression formed over Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea that intensified into a cyclonic storm (Tauktae) over the archipelago and adjoining southeast east central Arabian Sea moving northwards has caused huge damage to the coastal areas in Kerala.

In Kerala, more heavy to very heavy rains are forecast for Saturday and heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places on Sunday and Monday, according to the IMD.

According to the India Meteorological Department, Cyclone Tauktae may further
intensify into a Severe Cyclonic Storm by Saturday evening, and into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm come Sunday evening. By the early hours of Monday, the cyclone could gather maximum sustained surface wind speeds up to 150-160 kmph, gusting to 175 kmph in various parts of the coastal region of Southern India and up to Gujarat’s coast.

Cyclone Tauktae has also hit the coastal region of Karnataka resulting in heavy rainfall especially in Dakshina Kannada district.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra is preparing to grapple its impact on the coastal Konkan and some interiors which are likely to be affected with heavy rains and gusty winds. However, officials are optimistic that Maharashtra may escape the fury of the cyclone as it is likely to pass around 250 kms in the Arabian Sea, moving at an average speed of 7 kms/hr.

The storm has already resulted in rainfall in large areas in Lakshadweep Isles, Kerala, parts of Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri and Palghar, with predictions of heavy to very heavy spells in some places and extremely heavy rains in isolated places till Sunday.

The cyclone would trigger heavy rains in Mumbai, coastal Southern Konkan region’s Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra, parts of Goa and Gujarat over the next three days when it reaches the Gujarat coast on Tuesday.

Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg are likely to witness very heavy rains on Sunday and Monday, while Mumbai, Thane, Raigad will be clobbered with very heavy downpour on Monday, besides thunderstorms likely to hit Satara, Kolhapur, parts of the Western Ghats and Pune over Sunday and Monday.

Coastal Maharashtra especially south Konkan could be lashed by squalls reaching speeds of upto 60 kmph on Saturday, and increasing up to 80 kmph on Maharashtra-Goa coasts on Sunday (May 16), besides very rough seas.

Fishermen already out in the Arabian Sea have been advised to return and others are warned not to venture into the sea from May 14-18.