Vietnam wants destructive Linfa retired from list of storm names

Each of the 14 member countries and territories of the ESCAP/WMO (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific/World Meteorological Organization) Typhoon Committee, including Vietnam, have contributed 10 names that are used for storms. A member can also ask for the removal of names if a storm caused severe consequences.

The Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration asked the committee to remove Linfa from the list to "remind the community of a powerful storm which caused severe consequences, and to remind people to always be ready for extreme weather patterns."

Linfa made landfall over central Vietnam on October 11, causing heavy rains, floods and landslides that killed at least 130 people, destroyed 1,000 houses and inundated 120,000 others.

The name Linfa was suggested by Macau and used earlier in 2003, 2009 and 2015. Vietnam’s proposal will be considered at an annual meeting of the committee in 2021, and if accepted Macau will suggest three new names from which one will be chosen.

This is Vietnam’s first attempt to retire a storm’s name.