What Does Murasu Mean? Who Named Cyclone Murasu, How Cyclones Get Their Names and Which Name Comes Next

Murasu (முரசு) is a traditional Tamil drum that was used in ancient times to announce news and warnings to the public. India contributed the name to the official list of cyclone names for the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. It was suggested by the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) regional centre in Chennai, which drew on suggestions from the public. The name fits a storm: the murasu was the drum that warned people when something big was coming.

Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu formed over the south-west Bay of Bengal and was named on 1 November 2026. IMD forecast landfall on the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole between late Monday night, 2 November, and early Tuesday, 3 November.

Who decides cyclone names in the Bay of Bengal?

Cyclones over the North Indian Ocean are named by IMD’s Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC) in New Delhi, using a list agreed by the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones. The panel has 13 member countries: Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the UAE and Yemen.

Each country sent 13 names, which makes 169 names in all. The current list was released in April 2020 and is arranged in 13 columns, with one name from each country in every column. Names are used strictly in order, column by column, and a name is never used twice.

Why was this cyclone called Murasu?

It was simply Murasu’s turn. The storm before it was Arnab, a Bangla word for the sea, contributed by Bangladesh. Murasu is the next name in the same column, and it is India’s entry. A storm gets a name only when it strengthens into a cyclonic storm, with sustained winds of at least 62 km/h; weaker depressions are not named.

India’s names on the cyclone list

India’s 13 contributions are mostly Hindi and Sanskrit words for wind, water, fire and storms, plus a few from other Indian languages. Tej and Gati were used earlier; Murasu is the third.

Which cyclone name comes next after Murasu?

The next name is Akvan, contributed by Iran. After that come Kaani (Maldives), Ngamann (Myanmar), Sail (Oman), Sahab (Pakistan) and Lulu (Qatar), according to the WMO naming list. The order stays the same whether the next storm forms in the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea.

Why give cyclones names at all?

A short, familiar name is easier to remember and repeat than a number or coordinates. It helps the weather office, disaster managers, the media and the public talk about one storm without confusion, especially when two systems are active at once. The rules ask that names be neutral, short, easy to pronounce and not offensive to any community, which is why the list avoids names of people, religions and political figures.

For the weather impact closer home, read our report on whether Cyclone Murasu will affect Pune and Maharashtra. If you are travelling south, check which flights have been cancelled because of Murasu.

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