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Kerala: Kerala’s Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, on Wednesday, refuted the claim made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament that the state had been warned about a potential natural disaster in Wayanad due to heavy rainfall as early as July 23.
“This is not the time to blame each other. However, reports from the Rajya Sabha indicate that the Union Home Minister claimed they had issued a warning, and Kerala did not respond appropriately,” stated the Chief Minister during a press briefing.
Vijayan clarified that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued only an orange alert for the district before the landslides occurred. In contrast, Wayanad recorded over 500 millimetres of rainfall, significantly exceeding the IMD’s forecast.
“The disaster-stricken areas were under an orange alert, with the Central Meteorological Center predicting rainfall between 115 and 204 mm. Yet, the actual rainfall greatly exceeded this, with 200 mm in the first 24 hours and 372 mm in the subsequent 24 hours, amounting to 572 mm within 48 hours, which was well beyond the initial warnings. Prior to the disaster, the area was never placed under a red alert. However, following the event, a red alert was declared at six in the morning,” Vijayan explained.
Kerala’s Chief Minister pointed out discrepancies in the Union Home Minister’s statement regarding the recent landslide. As per the CM, the Central Meteorological Department did not issue any orange alerts for heavy rain in Kerala between July 23 and July 28. An orange alert was only issued for the Wayanad district on July 29 at 1 pm, followed by a red alert and heavy rain forecast on July 30 at 6 am, after the landslide had already occurred.
Furthermore, the Geological Survey of India’s green alert on July 29 at 2 pm came too late, as the heavy rainfall and landslide had already taken place. Additionally, the Central Water Commission failed to issue any flood warnings for Iruvazhinji Puzha or Chaliyar between July 23 and 29.
The Chief Minister emphasized that these facts contradict the Union Home Minister’s statement in Parliament.
He mentioned that, in response to Kerala’s earlier request, the NDRF team was made ready at the onset of the monsoon season. “Kerala requested 9 NDRF teams. The government had already stationed a team in the Wayanad district. All areas were prepared in advance for potential floods and other natural disasters, including landslides,” he elaborated.
Today in Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah remarked that the Kerala government could have reduced the damages in Wayanad had they heeded the Central government’s warnings about possible landslides and the associated risks to human life.
He further stated that setting aside party politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration is committed to supporting the people of Kerala.
Amit Shah also mentioned that the Central government had issued an early warning to the Kerala government 7 days prior to the incident, and subsequently on July 24, 25, and 26. The Home Minister also informed that if the Kerala government had been vigilant and taken action as soon as the NDRF teams arrived, the losses might have been minimized.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Revenue Department has reported that the death toll from the Wayanad landslides has risen to over 160.
Earlier in the day, the Indian Army intensified its rescue efforts, successfully evacuating over 1,000 individuals from the impacted zones to safety. The Army’s Southern Command reported that approximately 1,000 personnel have been saved to date through the use of makeshift bridges and the efforts of individuals.
Also Read: Home Minister Amit Shah Debates on Wayanad Landslides Disaster in Parliament
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