Wayanad Landslides: Centre Gave Advance Warning to Kerala Government on July 23, Says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that the Kerala government received an early warning about a potential natural disaster in Wayanad due to heavy rains as early as July 23. Despite this warning, the state government reportedly did not take the necessary precautions. Additionally, Shah noted that the arrival of nine National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams on the same day did not prompt any alert or action from the Kerala authorities.

Shah assured the House that the Narendra Modi government was standing a like a "rock" with the Kerala government and people of the state in this moment of the tragedy. He also promised all help from the central government.

Also Read| Kerala Rain Forecast: IMD Issues Orange Alert for Wayanad and 4 Others, Yellow for 7 Districts; Death Toll Rises to 163.

During a brief intervention in the Rajya Sabha’s calling attention motion on the Wayanad landslide tragedy, Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured that the Centre would provide all necessary help and support to Kerala and its residents to manage the crisis. He criticized the opposition for challenging the effectiveness of the central government's early warning systems and response to the disaster. Shah said that the state was given an early warning seven days before the July 30 landslide, with an additional alert issued on July 24.

"Nine NDRF battalions were dispatched on July 23 itself and three more were sent on July 30," Shah said. He further said several states, including Odisha and Gujarat used the early warnings provided by the Centre to reduce impact of natural calamities like cyclone.