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Cyclone hits Australia

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Mello
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Joined: February 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by Mello » Fri February 4th, 2011, 4:46 am

Amazingly only one dead and two reported missing. Absolute carnage, but incredible planning by those in the firing line saved many lives I think.


[quote=""Ash""]BTW, why is it called a cyclone there, and a hurricane here? I assume the words have two different origins?[/quote]

I really don’t know – and in Asia it’s called a typhoon. What I do know is that in the southern hemisphere cyclones rotate clockwise and in the north they rotate counterclockwise, just like the water down the plughole myth. Freaky.

Ash
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Location: Arizona, USA

Post by Ash » Fri February 4th, 2011, 1:46 pm

I did some googling and found out that two of these were coined by various explorers: typhoon is a mix of the Chinese word for wind, and the Greek word for great wind. Cyclone was coined by an Englishman in the 1800s, probably after the Greek word for cycle, rotation, wheel. Hurican is local, Spanish for wind, but is probably from the Carib god of evil.

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stu1883
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Location: I live in Bristol, England with my wife Nicki & our kittens Boomer & Magic
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Post by stu1883 » Fri February 4th, 2011, 4:56 pm

I saw this unfold in the news - I always wonder how nature can be devastating but I am very happy that no one was killed. The eastern side of Australia, with the flooding and now the cyclone has endured so much this year and I wish them all the vey best. Any Aussies on here - keep safe, my best wishes toyou all.

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