UN removes 'Isis' from official list of future hurricane names

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Isis is one of the names that has been removed by the UN's World Meteorological Organization Hurricane committee (WMO) from the official list of names of future hurricanes.

WMO said the name that identifies the Islamic State terror group - whose insurgence in Syria and Iraq has caused thousands of deaths - was not appropriate.

The name was on the list because it is one belonging to an ancient Egyptian goddess, WMO's spokesperson Clare Nullis told Reuters.

"The Hurricane Committee removed the name 'Isis' from the rotating list, and agreed to replace it with 'Ivette'," she said. "Names are knocked off the list, which rotates every six years, if they are considered inappropriate, if they caused too much damage and too much death."

Here is the list of the current WMO's approved names for storms in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic. For the full list of hurricanes worldwide, click here.

Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic Names
2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
Andrea Barry Chantal Dorian Erin Fernand Gabrielle Humberto Ingrid Jerry Karen Lorenzo Melissa Nestor Olga Pablo Rebekah Sebastien Tanya Van Wendy	Arthur Bertha Cristobal Dolly Edouard Fay Gonzalo Hanna Isaias Josephine Kyle Laura Marco Nana Omar Paulette Rene Sally Teddy Vicky Wilfred	Ana Bill Claudette Danny Erika Fred Grace Henri Ida Joaquin Kate Larry Mindy Nicholas Odette Peter Rose Sam Teresa Victor Wanda	Alex Bonnie Colin Danielle Earl Fiona Gaston Hermine Ian Julia Karl Lisa Matthew Nicole Otto Paula Richard Shary Tobias Virginie Walter	Arlene Bret Cindy Don Emily Franklin Gert Harvey Irma Jose Katia Lee Maria Nate Ophelia Philippe Rina Sean Tammy Vince Whitney	Alberto Beryl Chris Debby Ernesto Florence Gordon Helene Isaac Joyce Kirk Leslie Michael Nadine Oscar Patty Rafael Sara Tony Valerie William

In the last 10 years, WMO retired five names:

Igor: Named after one of the most destructive hurricanes in the Newfoundland, Canada, in which four people were killed in 2010. The storm caused $200m (£185m) in damage.

Irene: It caused 44 deaths in the Caribbean in 2010 and $348m in damage.

Ingrid: The hurricane killed 32 people in Mexico in 2013 and caused $230m in damage.

Tomas: This hurricane hit the Caribbean in November 2010 and caused 44 deaths as well as damages for $348m.

Sandy: Known also as "Superstorm Sandy", it caused 286 deaths across the US east coast, Bahamas, the Caribbean and Canada. Listed as the second-costliest hurricane in US history, it caused $68bn in damages.

Isis