Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan's Response to Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah's Statement on Wayanad Tragedy
This is not the time to blame each other. However, reports from the Rajya Sabha indicate that the Union Home Minister claimed they had issued a warning, and Kerala did not respond appropriately.
In the disaster areas, an orange alert was in place, with the Central Meteorological Center warning that rainfall would be between 115 and 204 mm. However, the actual rainfall was much higher. The area received 200 mm of rain in the first 24 hours and 372 mm in the next 24 hours, totaling 572 mm in 48 hours. This far exceeded the initial warning. The area had never been on red alert before the disaster. However, after the incident, a red alert was issued at six o'clock in the morning.
Now another thing:
Between July 23 and July 28, the Central Meteorological Department did not issue any orange alerts for heavy rain in Kerala. On July 29 at 1 pm, an orange alert was only issued for the Wayanad district. The red alert and the possibility of heavy rain for Wayanad were announced only at 6 am on July 30, after the landslide
On July 29 at 2 pm, the Geological Survey of India issued a green alert for July 30 and 31, indicating a possibility of minor landslides or rock bursts. However, by that time, heavy rain had already occurred, and the landslide had taken place.
From July 23 to 29, the Central Water Commission, which is responsible for issuing flood warnings, did not issue any warnings for either Iruvazhinji Puzha or Chaliyar. The Union Home Minister has presented information in Parliament that is inconsistent with these facts.
Based on Kerala's prior request, the NDRF team was made available at the beginning of the rainy season. Kerala raised the demand for 9 NDRF teams. The government had already deployed a team in Wayanad district. Preparations have been made in all areas with advance information about potential floods and other natural calamities, including landslides.
Climate change has led to significant alterations in our environment. We need to take proactive steps to address and adapt to these changes. When faced with these issues, can we avoid responsibility by claiming it's not our duty to get involved? The central government should also consider this issue seriously. As part of addressing climate change, effective measures should be taken to prevent the impending disasters.
To reiterate, this is not a time for blaming each other. We are currently confronting a disaster, and many people are left in desperate and destitute conditions. Act now to rescue those who can be saved and locate those who are buried. Push hard to restore the area and rebuild the lost village. Keeping everything together is crucial at this critical moment. At this moment, we urge everyone to come forward to support Kerala.