New Delhi/ Thiruvananthapuram: Regarding the early warning about potential landslides, the central and state governments have issued conflicting statements, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presenting differing accounts of the events.
In the monsoon session of the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah revealed that the central government had issued an early warning to the Kerala government regarding potential landslides on July 23, a warning that came seven days before the tragic calamity hit the Wayanad district. Expressing his condolences to the families affected by the disaster, Shah emphasized the importance of collaboration over politicization in response to such calamities.
“The Centre has invested more than Rs 2,000 crore in developing the early warning system since 2014,” he stated during his address. He continued to highlight that further warnings were issued on July 24 and 25, culminating in a final alert on July 26 about impending heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm, which increased the likelihood of landslides.
“In response to the potential threat, nine National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were dispatched to Kerala on July 23 under my instructions,” Shah added, questioning the actions of the Kerala government in light of the warnings. “What measures did the Kerala government take? Were the residents evacuated? If they were, then how have lives been lost?” he queried.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in response, emphasized that it is not the time for a blame game and stated that no red alerts were sounded for Wayanad ahead of the landslides. Vijayan countered Shah’s claims, noting that 158 people have been recovered, 200 have sustained injuries, and 191 are still missing following the landslides that struck the hilly areas near Meppadi in Kerala’s Wayanad district. Over 5,500 people were rescued from the affected areas, he added.
With the Kerala government declaring a two-day state mourning, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged people to come together to rebuild destroyed livelihoods, similar to the response after the 2018 floods. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with the army deploying 200 soldiers from the Defence Security Corps and a medical team to assist. Additionally, two helicopters from the Air Force Station in Sulur have been dispatched to aid in the efforts. Kerala CM Vijayan also mentioned that 45 camps have been set up in Wayanad, with more than 3,000 people being rehabilitated.
