TAG: GS-1: GEOGRAPHY
CONTEXT: Recently, India has launched Operation Sadbhav to provide humanitarian assistance to Southeast Asian countries affected by Typhoon Yagi, including Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar.
EXPLANATION:
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.
Factors of formation:
- Sustained sea temperature of 27°C or above required
- High humidity in the middle troposphere
- Average wind speed of about 120 km/h
- Presence of Coriolis force to initiate rotation.
- An initial low-pressure area
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.
Typhoon Yagi: Origin and Impact
- Typhoon Yagi began as a tropical storm in the western Philippine Sea on September 1, 2024.
o 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.
- Vietnam and the Philippines are frequently affected by typhoons due to their geographic location in the Western Pacific, one of the most active typhoon basins in the world.
Global Terminology:
- Typhoon: Northwest Pacific Ocean.
- Hurricane: North Atlantic, Central and Eastern North Pacific Oceans.
- Cyclone: South Pacific and Indian Ocean.
Source:
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-climate/typhoon-yagi-9567876/
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