Kerala CM Rebuts Amit Shah’s Early Warning Claim On Wayanad Landslides: 'Red Alert Issued Later'

Kerala's chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, has disputed Union Home Minister Amit Shah's assertion that early weather warnings were given to the state before heavy rains led to fatal landslides.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had only issued an orange alert for Wayanad district prior to the disaster.

Photo Credit: PTI

During a discussion on the Calling Attention Motion in the Lok Sabha, Amit Shah stated that IMD had forecasted heavy rainfall in Kerala at least a week before the landslides. He mentioned that eight National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were deployed on July 23.

Kerala Landslide: Weather Alerts and Rescue Efforts

Shah detailed that on July 18, it was predicted that Kerala's western coast would see above-normal rainfall. By July 25, heavy rain was forecasted. "On July 23 itself, eight teams of the NDRF were sent to the region," Shah said.

Despite these warnings, CM Vijayan noted no red alerts were issued for Wayanad ahead of the landslides. The district experienced over 500 millimetres of rainfall, far exceeding predictions. An orange alert indicates rainfall between 6 cm and 20 cm, while a red alert signals extremely heavy rain over 20 cm in 24 hours.

Wayanad Landslide: Response and Relief Measures

"A red alert was issued for the district only after the landslides hit there on Tuesday morning," Vijayan stated during a press conference. He emphasized this is not a time for blame and he does not view Shah's remarks adversarially.

Updating on rescue operations, Vijayan reported that 1,592 people have been rescued so far. Additionally, 82 relief camps have been established in Wayanad district, housing 2,017 individuals.

"The cabinet meeting evaluated the situation. We are relocating tribal families and providing food to those unwilling to move," said Vijayan. He added that an extra 132 army personnel arrived today to aid rescue efforts and two helicopters are being used for operations.

"Post-mortems were conducted both yesterday and last night," he added.

The chief minister stressed cooperation over conflict during this crisis period.