PAGASA Replaces Names of 5 Killer Cyclones To Avoid Trauma, Confusion

PAGASA has decommissioned the names of five killer cyclones in 2014 to avoid public trauma and confusion.

PAGASA’s Meno Mendoza, as quoted over GMA News Online report, said such names could evoke bad memories.

He added that people might get confused and expect cyclones with the same name to be violently destructive.

Mendoza said that using again such names, people will remember the previous typhoon and will tend to believe that it has the same strength.

The replacement names for the five decommissioned names will be used starting 2018. These include:

Typhoon Glenda, replaced by GARDO
Typhoon Jose, replaced by JOSIE
Tropical Storm Mario, replaced by MAYMAY
Typhoon Ruby, replaced by ROSITA
Tropical Storm Seniang, replaced by SAMUEL

PAGASA announces that it decommissions cyclone names if damage involves at least 300 lives lost and/or P1 billion in damage to property. “Decommissioning the names of destructive typhoons from the operational list is a systemized practice of the Agency. Replaced names are still recorded for historical data or for future references,” it said.

Glenda, which affected the country from July 13 to 17, caused 106 deaths, 1,250 injuries and left six missing. It caused P38.616 billion in damage. Typhoon Jose, which affected the Philippines Aug. 2 to 7, left two dead and P1.623 billion in damage.

Mario, which affected the country September 17 to 21, left 18 dead, 16 injured and four missing. It left P3.399 billion in damage.

Typhoon Ruby, which affected the country Dec. 4 to 10, left 18 dead and 915 injured, and P3.349 billion in damage while TS Seniang, which affected the country Dec. 28 to 31, left 66 dead, 43 injured and six missing. It caused P1.272 billion in damage.

Source: GMA News Online