Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Refutes Amit Shah’s Claims on Wayanad Landslides

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has dismissed Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s allegations that the state government ignored warnings about a potential natural disaster in Wayanad. Vijayan argued that Shah’s claims were “baseless” and provided a detailed account of the situation.

According to Vijayan, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued only an orange alert for Wayanad, forecasting rainfall between 115 mm and 204 mm. However, the actual rainfall far exceeded these predictions, with the district receiving 572 mm over a 48-hour period. This intense rainfall led to severe landslides, with the IMD only issuing a red alert on the morning of July 30, after the landslides had already occurred.

From July 23 to 28, there was no orange alert for Wayanad, and it was only on July 29 that an orange alert was issued. Additionally, the Geological Survey of India had issued a green alert for July 30 and 31, indicating only minor landslide risks, well after the significant rainfall had occurred.

Vijayan also highlighted that the Central Water Commission had not issued any flood warnings for the Iruvazhinji Puzha or Chaliyar rivers during the crucial period. He emphasized that this was not the time for blame but for addressing the disaster and adapting to the impacts of climate change.

The Chief Minister noted that Kerala had requested and received nine National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, deploying one to Wayanad. He stressed the need for immediate rescue operations and rebuilding efforts instead of engaging in blame games.

Earlier in the day, Amit Shah had slammed the Kerala government’s response in the Rajya Sabha, claiming that early warnings were ignored and that the arrival of NDRF teams should have prompted immediate action.

The landslides in Wayanad have resulted in 158 confirmed deaths, over 200 injuries, and 191 people still missing, according to district officials.