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Global Geological And Climatic Events

Typhoon Yagi

Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Disaster Management

Why in the News?

India has launched Operation Sadbhav to provide humanitarian assistance to Southeast Asian countries affected by Typhoon Yagi, including Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar.

Typhoon Yagi: Origin and Impact 

  • Typhoon Yagi began as a tropical storm in the western Philippine Sea on September 1, 2024.
    • Yagi, which means goat or the constellation of Capricornus in Japanese.
  • It made landfall in the Philippines but intensified again due to warm waters in the South China Sea, reaching Category 3 winds by September 4.
  • Yagi further strengthened to a Category 5 typhoon with peak winds of 260 kmph, making it one of only four Category 5 storms recorded in the South China Sea.
  • Although downgraded to a tropical depression, it continued to bring heavy rains and floods to Myanmar and other areas.

What are Typhoons?

  • A Typhoon is a type of tropical cyclone that forms in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean, particularly affecting East Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Oceania.
  • They are characterized by strong winds, heavy rain, and can cause severe flooding, storm surges, and damage to infrastructure.

Key Features of Typhoons:

  • Formation Region: Typhoons form in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, primarily between 100°E and 180°E.
  • Wind Speed: To be classified as a typhoon, sustained winds must exceed 119 km/h.
  • Structure: Like hurricanes, typhoons have a central eye (calm area) surrounded by a violent eyewall where the strongest winds and heaviest rains occur.
  • Season: Typhoons typically occur from May to October, with a peak from August to September.

Global Terminology:

  • Typhoon: Northwest Pacific Ocean.
  • Hurricane: North Atlantic, Central and Eastern North Pacific Oceans.
  • Cyclone: South Pacific and Indian Ocean.

 

PYQ:

[2020] Consider the following statements:

1. Jet streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.

2. Only some cyclones develop an eye.

3. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10ºC lesser than that of the surroundings.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1 and 3 only

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