PAGASA drops Nona as typhoon name

MANILA, Philippines – After causing massive devastation in Luzon, Typhoon Nona (Melor) has been removed from the country’s list of tropical cyclone names, according to state weather bureau PAGASA.

“Nona will no longer be used by PAGASA and [we are] now looking for a replacement!!! Suggestions are now welcome,” PAGASA posted on its official Facebook account.

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Massive damage

PAGASA only decommissions a tropical cyclone name when it has met at least one of these two requirements:

• at least 300 deaths
• P1 billion worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure

In December 2015, Typhoon Nona devastated parts of Luzon and the Visayas, leaving more than P6 billion ($127 million) worth of damage to infrastructure and agriculture in regions II, III, IV-A, IV-B, V, and VIII.

The typhoon also left 42 people dead.

Nona was originally named Nonoy but PAGASA changed it because it sounded like “Noynoy,” the nickname of President Benigno Aquino III. (READ: From Nonoy to Nona: Why PAGASA renamed a tropical storm)

Another typhoon, Lando (Koppu), was also delisted from the agency’s list of tropical cyclone names last year, after leaving more than P11 billion ($233.5 million) worth of damage in regions I, II, III, IV-A, IV-B, and CAR in October.

It was replaced by the name Liwayway.

Replacement name

As of this writing, the agency has not come up with an alternative for Nona.

“We’ve been getting calls from people suggesting replacement names for Nona. These are being forwarded to the Weather Division,” Venus Valdemoro, officer-in-charge of PAGASA’s Public Information Unit, said.

In the agency’s Facebook post, netizens suggested names such as Nelia, Nestor, Nimpha, Nora, and Narda.

A list of replacement names will be sent to PAGASA’s chief for approval. –Rappler.com

$1 = P47.09