Why is the strongest super typhoon of 2025 named Ragasa?

How to name storms? This article will provide you with detailed information on how to name storms in Vietnam and around the world .

 

Ragasa, the 14th storm to hit the Philippines this year. Ragasa is the third Category 5 storm on the planet in 2025, joining Hurricane Erin in the Atlantic (August 16) and Hurricane Errol off the northwest coast of Australia (April 16). The global average for the period 1990-2024 is 5.3 Category 5 storms; 2024 has five.

Ragasa underwent an eyewall replacement cycle just before passing over the small, sparsely populated Babuyan Islands in the northernmost Philippines. After Ragasa's powerful northern eyewall passed over Babuyan Claro Island (population: about 2,000), the newly expanded eyewall passed directly over Calayan Island (the most populous of the group, with about 10,000 residents).

Tens of millions of people could be affected by the storm, which is expected to pass through parts of the Asian island nation before heading towards major cities.

According to the Typhoon Committee - an intergovernmental body established in 1968 under the joint auspices of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Ragasa means " fast, sudden movement ". Super Typhoon Ragasa is not named according to the basic rules, but rather a word to describe the state, action.

Currently, the name Ragasa is listed in List II of Tropical Cyclone Names in the Northwest Pacific Ocean and South China Sea (valid until 2025). This list is approved by the Typhoon Committee and published on the official website.

 

The names of storms in Vietnam are given according to their numerical order in the year, but in the world they are usually given names. In the Northwest Pacific and the East Sea, storm names are taken in rotation from the list proposed by the countries in the region.

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Typhoon Ha Long (Halong) made landfall in Japan in August 2014.

There is a list of 140 special names for storms chosen by countries in the region such as China, Japan, Vietnam and Cambodia. When a storm occurs, the old names are discarded and replaced by new ones. There is no limit to the number of names that can be used in a calendar year.

Only tropical cyclones of hurricane strength or higher are named, and they are named in order from top to bottom. For example, if the first storm of the year is named Cimaron, the next storm will be named Jebi.

Below is a summary table of proposed storm names by country (based on the official WMO and JMA lists, arranged alphabetically by country).

 

Country / Territory	Nationally proposed storm names
Cambodia	Damrey, Kong-rey, Nakri, Krovanh, Trases, Ong-mang, Muifa, Merbok, Nanmadol, Talas
China	Tianma, Yinxing, Toraji, Man-yi, Usagi, Pabuk, Wutip, Sepat, Mun, Danas
DPR Korea	Kirogi, Yun-yeung, Koinu, Bolaven, Sanba, Jelawat, Ewiniar, Maliksi, Gaemi, Prapiroon
Hong Kong	Maria, Son-Tinh, Ampil, Wukong, Jongdari, Shanshan, Yagi, Leepi, Bebinca, Pulasan
Japan	Soulik, Cimaron, Jebi, Krathon, Barijat, Trami, Halong, Matmo, Bualoi, Neoguri
PDR Tuberculosis	Ragasa, Narra, Saudel, Nangka, Peilou, Chan-hom, Kujira, Dolphin, Noul, Haishen
Macau	Maysak, Bavi, Higos, Mekkhala, Jangmi, Hagupit, Sinlaku, Nuri, Penha, Nokaen
Malaysia	Koto, Fung-wong, Kalmaegi, Fengshen, Nakri, Kong-rey, Damrey, Trases, Krovanh, Dujuan
Micronesia	Surigae, Choi-wan, Koguma, Champi, In-fa, Cempaka, Nepartak, Lupit, Mirinae, Nida
Philippines	Omais, Luc-Binh, Chanthu, Dianmu, Mindulle, Lionrock, Tokei, Namtheun, Malou, Nyatoh
RO Korea	Sarbul, Amuyao, Gosari, Chaba, Aere, Songda, Saobien, (new name), Bang-lang, Etau
Thailand	Atsani, Gaenari, Narra, Saudel, Nangka, Peilou, Chan-hom, Kujira, Dolphin, Noul
USA	Haishen, Maysak, Bavi, Higos, Mekkhala, Jangmi, Hagupit, Sinlaku, Nuri, Penha
Vietnam	Son-Tinh, Co-may, Bavi, Luc-Binh, Sonca, Trami, Halong, Bang-lang, Songda, Saobien

 

If the list of storm names is exhausted during that year, another list of 10 names is added and released before the hurricane season begins.

The Philippines is also one of the countries that issues names for international storms. But when a tropical cyclone enters its area of ​​responsibility, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) uses its own list of 25 names to assign it.

A tropical cyclone in the northwest Pacific Ocean with winds between 73 and 148 km/h would be classified as a hurricane. Storms with winds of 149 km/h or higher would be classified as super typhoons.

Storm Son Tinh (Sontinh) formed in the East Sea in October 2012.

The purpose of naming storms (tropical cyclones) is to facilitate the dissemination of warnings. It is clear that calling storms by names that are easy to remember, easy to use in exchanging information and attract more public attention to storm warnings than using terminology and numbers.

A name of a storm will be removed from the list and replaced with another name when it causes too much loss of life and property. Historically, famous storm names that have been removed in this way are Tracy (Darwin, 1974), Mitch (Honduras, 1998), Katrina (USA, 2005), Sandy (USA, 2012), Haiyan (Philippines, 2013).

The 10 names chosen by the Vietnam General Department of Hydrometeorology by the regional storm committee include: Conson, Saola, Songda, Sontinh, Lekima, Sonca, Bavi, Tramy, Halong, Vamco.