NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed in Parliament on Wednesday that the Indian government's early warning system had alerted the Kerala government about potential heavy rains and landslides seven days before the devastating landslides in Wayanad district, which resulted in the deaths of over 150 people.
Amit Shah stated, "On July 23, the government of India gave an early warning to the government of Kerala, which was seven days before the incident."
He emphasized that the Centre had issued multiple early warnings to the Kerala government before the heavy rains triggered the catastrophic landslides. Shah detailed, "On July 24 and 25, early warnings were issued. On July 26, a warning highlighted the potential for heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm, landslides, mudflows, and possible loss of life."
In the Rajya Sabha, Amit Shah criticized the Kerala government for not responding adequately to these warnings or to the deployment of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams. He revealed that nine NDRF battalions were sent on July 23, with three more dispatched on July 30, yet the state government did not take sufficient action.
Amit Shah also addressed criticism from the opposition regarding the central government's early warning systems and response to the disaster. He defended the government's efforts, saying, "Questions are being raised about the early warning system... The government has invested Rs. 2000 crores since 2014 in developing this system." He also criticized the CPI(M) government in Kerala.
Shah also noted that states such as Odisha and Gujarat have effectively utilized the early warnings provided by the Centre to mitigate the impact of natural disasters like cyclones.
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