On January 9, 2015, Prof. Ghulam Rasul, Chief Meteorological Officer of Pakistan Meteorological Department, delivered a report titled “Increasing Potential Risk of Tropical Storms along South Asian Coastal Belt” to discuss about the causes for the increasing frequency and intensity of tropical storms on the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Prof. Ghulam Rasul noted in his report that tropical storms can cause fierce winds, big waves, storm surges, rainstorms, floods and other severe disasters, especially when they make landfall. The coastal areas along the Bay of Bengal and the North Arabian Sea are often hit by hurricanes. Due to the widespread flood plains densely covered with rivers, these areas are very likely to suffer from floods after hurricanes. As the global climate changes, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal have seen their surface temperature on the continuous rise. As a result, the coastal areas along these waters are stricken by tropical storms more frequently and fiercely and thus sustain great losses. The latest storm in particular devastated South Pakistan, the west part of the Middle East, and West Indian, incurring serious losses.