Three new names for tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific and South China Sea have been selected. Pakhar, Doksuri and Haikui will replace Matsa, Nabi and Longwang.

The Typhoon Committee, under the joint auspices of the United Nations Economic & Social Commission for Asia & the Pacific and the World Meteorological Organisation, endorsed the new names at its 39th session last year.

Pakhar, proposed by Laos, is a freshwater fish living in the lower Mekong River. Doksuri, proposed by South Korea, is a bird of prey, while Haikui, proposed by China, is a sea anemone.