New Delhi: As the death toll continues to mount in the horrific landslides in Kerala, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the state government was warned as early as July 23 regarding a possible natural calamity in Wayanad due to heavy rains and nine NDRF teams were rushed to the state the same day.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on the issue, the Union Home Minister said that the Government of India had issued an early warning to the Kerala government about a possibility of landslides seven days in advance.
However, the Kerala government did not heed to the early warning and also did not get alerted even by arrival of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) battalions, he said.
Speaking in Rajya Sabha. https://t.co/fOKVCiri9Z
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 31, 2024
“The opposition keeps on blabbering about early warning. The government of India had issued an early warning to the state government on July 23 seven days in advance. The warning was repeated on the 24th and 25th. On the 26th, heavy rainfall more than 20 cm was predicted and warning of landslides was issued,” the Home Minister said.
The Union Home Minister also attacked the Opposition over the latter's criticism of the Centre on early warning system. “I did not want to comment on the matter, But questions have been raised on the country's early warning system. So instead of crying 'listen to us, listen to us', please read it,” Shah said. He said that India had the distinction of being among the only four countries in the world to have the early weather warning system, which was launched in the country in 2016.
The Union Home Minister also expressed condolences and sympathy with the families of the victims in the Wayanad landslides. The landslides in at least four villages during the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday have killed at least 174 people and injured 180 others.
"It is time to stand with the Kerala government and the people of Kerala. The government of India, irrespective of party politics, stands like a rock with Kerala government and the people of the state," Shah said.
