In an effort to localize storm names, a new list has been generated for tropical storms and typhoons in the Western North Pacific and South China Sea. The first storm this year will be called Damrey, which means elephant in Cambodian.
Previously, storms in these regions had been given English names. The new list, approved by the U.N. Typhoon Committee, is actually five lists, each of which would rotate into use once every five years. There are 28 names on each list.
“We all agreed that using local names that people recognize should encourage them to pay more attention to the warnings,” said Richard H. Hagemeyer, U.S. representative to the committee.
Typhoons are identical in nature to hurricanes. Both are considered to be cyclones by meteorologists.
The U.S. contributed 10 names of Palauan, Marshallese, and Chamorro origin. A sampling of names on the list include Longwang, Man-yi, Rusa, Sonca and Kajiki