Elsewhere this is called a tropical cyclone, severe tropical cyclone, or severe cyclonic storm.
L. S. Rathore, director general of the India Meteorological Department, termed the storm, named Cyclone Phailin, a "very serious cyclonic storm".
In May 2003, a tropical cyclone known as Very Severe Cyclonic Storm BOB 01 produced the worst flooding in Sri Lanka in 56 years.
At this time, the IMD classified the cyclone as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm and reported that it had a 60 km wide eye.
Cyclone Akash (JTWC designation: 01B, also known as Cyclonic Storm Akash) was the first named tropical cyclone of the 2007 North Indian Ocean cyclone season.
The deadliest and most intense cyclone of the season was Severe Cyclonic Storm Ten, which killed 14,174 in East Pakistan in early November.
That day, the JTWC classified the system as Tropical Cyclone 02A, and it intensified into a cyclonic storm on November 13.
This huge coastal region is very much prone to tidal surge and cyclones; and approximately in every 5 years devastating cyclonic storm hits these coastal areas.
The next storm to reach this intensity was Cyclone Gonu in 2007 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, which became the first known super cyclonic storm in the region.
When it became a very severe cyclonic storm on June 3, Gonu became the strongest tropical cyclone on record in the Arabian Sea.
According to the IMD, Cyclone Gonu crossed the easternmost tip of Oman still as a very severe cyclonic storm early on June 6.
