The extensive coastal belts of India are exposed to cyclonic storms, which originate in Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea every year and are accompanied with very heavy to extremely heavy rain, gales and storm surges, causing loss of human lives and property. An early warning system is vital to manage a cyclone and minimise damage. India Meteorological Department (IMD) is the nodal agency to issue warnings and advisories to different agencies. In addition, it works as a Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC) for tropical cyclones over north Indian Ocean and issues advisories to the member countries of World Meteorological Organisation’s (WMO) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Panel on Tropical Cyclones viz, Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sultanate of Oman and Thailand.
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