THE destructive cyclone in Mozambique has already taken hundreds of lives, but how is it the dangerous weather system different to a hurricane?

We explain what the difference is and why there is one.

What is the difference between a hurricane and a cyclone?

A hurricane and a cyclone are the same thing.

They are called different things in different locations.

In the Northeast Pacific and the North Atlantic Ocean, they are called hurricanes.

But in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean they are called cyclones.

What happened in Mozambique?

Cyclone Idai has killed hundreds of people since it made landfall in the port city of Beira.

It soon moved inland to Zimbabwe and Malawi.

The Mozambique president made his chilling prediction during a radio interview, after he flew over Beira, and claimed to have seen bodies floating in the water.

The Red Cross said that 90 per cent of Beira, a city of 500,000, had been destroyed or damaged.

Why do storms have names?

Before a weather system is categorised as a hurricane or cyclone it is called a tropical storm.

The tropical storms that last a long time and look like they can develop are given names so they can be identified quickly.

Most places have a specific system how to name the storms.

For example, the first storm of the year might get a name beginning with A and it will continue.

However, if a storm has caused severe damaged they can be retired and never used again.

Source: Read Full Article