Cyclone Tauktae leaves trail of destruction in Maha, Guj; Arabian Sea becomes hotbed of cyclones; more

At least six people died and nine were injured in Maharashtra on Monday as Cyclone Tauktae intensified into an "extremely severe" cyclonic storm. While in Gujarat, four people were killed as cyclone Tauktae pounded parts of the state and left behind a trail of destruction along the western coast, officials said on Tuesday.

Scientists attribute the increased frequency of cyclones in the Arabian Sea to climate change. Climate scientist Hiroyuki Murakami in his study found that 64 per cent of cyclones in the Arabian Sea in recent years were caused by climate change. According to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the sea surface temperature of the Arabian Sea is rising. A temperature above 28 degrees Celsius in tropical seas such as the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal can trigger cyclonic depressions.