Kerala landslide: Early warning was given to state, says Home Minister Amit Shah

The Kerala government could have minimised the losses that occurred in Wayanad as a result of Tuesdayrsquos landslides if they had become ldquoalertrdquo after the Central Governments warning over it and the consequent threat to the lives of residents Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in the Rajya SabhaHe added that irrespective of party politics Prime Minister Narendra Modis government will stand with the people of KeralaAccording to the Kerala Revenue Department the death toll in the landslides has risen to 158 news agency ANI reportedAccording to Shah the Central government had sent an early warning to the government of Kerala seven days before the incident and then again on July 24 25 and 26 Questions are being raised about the early warning system of the government I want to clarify something for the country They kept on talking about early warning on the possibility of landslides I want to clarify that on July 23 that is seven days before the incident the government of India had given an early warning to the government of Kerala That is why the same day at my direction nine teams of NDRF National Disaster Response Force were sent to the state They were again issued an early warning on July 24 and 25 On July 26 a warning was issued alerting the government of the possibility of heavy rainfall of more than 20 cm They were told that there were chances of landslides which could lead to mudflow and people could lose lives Shah saidQuestioning the Kerala government he asked ldquoWhat did the Kerala government do Were the people shifted And if they were shifted then how did they die Shah saidShah however said that it was the time to stand with the people of KeralaHad they become alert the day the teams landed in the state a lot could have been saved But this is the time to stand with the government and the people of Kerala Irrespective of the party politics the Narendra Modi government will stand with the people of Kerala the Home Minister said adding that three more teams of NDRF were sent to the state on TuesdayThe Union Minister also informed the Upper House of the Parliament that the government has spent Rs 2000 crore after 2014 for the early warning systemThe project of early warning started in 2016 and by 2023 India had the most modern early warning system There are only four countries to predict major events seven days in advance and India is one among them Shah informedMeanwhile the search and rescue operations continue at landslideaffected Chooralmala in Wayanad Around 1200 rescue workers from the Indian Army Defence Security Corps DSC centre Territorial Army NDRF Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force IAF are deployed in WayanadThe Commandant of the Para Regimental Training Centre Brigadier Arjun Seagan said that 500 to 600 personnel from NDRF army state police forest officials and volunteers have been carrying out the rescue operations on WednesdayEarlier in the day the Indian Army ramped up its rescue operations and successfully evacuated more than 1000 people from the affected areas to safetyThe Armys Southern Command said that up to 1000 personnel have been rescued so far using manmade bridges and human effortDespite adverse climatic conditions and poor visibility IAF helicopters conducted the search amp rescue operations in Wayanad rescuing stranded people from a narrow strip of landAt least two massive landslides struck Keralas Wayanad on Tuesday morning causing widespread destruction The first occurred in Mundakkai a town at 2 am and the second in Chooralmala at 410 am The massive landslides wreaked havoc in the region damaging houses roads and livelihoods uprooting trees and swelling water bodies which hindered rescue operationsMany areas including Meppadi Mundakkai and Chooralmala have been isolated and roads have been washed away The Vellarmala GVH School was completely buriedWith ANI inputs