Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday termed as "baseless" Union Home Minister Amit Shah's claim that the state government did not heed the Centre's warning regarding a possible natural calamity in Wayanad due to heavy rains.
Vijayan said that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had only issued an orange alert in the district ahead of the landslides. However, the district received over 572 millimeters of rainfall, which was extremely higher than what was predicted by the IMD.
"In the disaster areas, an orange alert was in place, with the IMD 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 (of July 30) after the landslides occurred," Vijayan said at a press conference here.
Prior to that, from July 23 to 28, there was no orange alert in Wayanad and only on July 29 was an orange alert issued in that district, he said.
A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert means very heavy rain (6 cm to 20 cm).
Furthermore, on July 30, the Geological Survey of India, which has established a landslide warning system in Wayanad, issued a green alert for July 30 and 31, indicating a possibility of minor landslides or rock bursts. However, by then, the district had already received very heavy rainfall and landslides had occurred, the CM contended.
Vijayan also said that 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 rivers flowing through the affected areas.
"I am not blaming anyone. This is not the time for blame games. But, the Centre needs to understand that climate change has led to significant alterations in our environment and that we need to take proactive steps to address and adapt to these changes.
"The Central government should 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," he said.
Vijayan also said that it was based on Kerala's prior request, at the beginning of the rainy season, that nine National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were made available to the state and it had deployed one team in Wayanad district.
The CM said that instead of blaming each other, now it was time to rescue those who can be saved, locate those who are buried under debris or were swept away, restore the affected areas and rebuild the villages that were wiped away in the landslides.
After presenting his government's view on the issue, Vijayan said, "So, we can see that what was said in Parliament today was baseless."
Towards the end of his press conference, he also said, "The Union Home Minister has presented information in Parliament that is inconsistent with these facts."
Earlier in the day, Shah, in the Rajya Sabha, claimed that the Kerala government did not heed to the early warning and also did not get alerted even by the arrival of the NDRF battalions in the state.
Shah said an early warning was sent to the state seven days ahead of the July 30 landslide. Another warning was given on July 24 also.
Had the Kerala government got itself alerted and acted as soon as NDRF teams landed there, losses could have been minimised, the Home Minister claimed.
The landslides that occurred in Wayanad on Tuesday have claimed 158 lives till now, with over 200 injured and 191 still missing, according to the district administration.
Over 5,500 people have been rescued from the affected areas and more than 8,000 people, including children and pregnant women, have been relocated to the 82 relief camps in the state, the CM said in the press conference.
Massive landslides triggered by torrential rains struck Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha hamlets in the early hours of Tuesday, killing several people, including women and children.
New Delhi | Congress and BJP members indulged in a war of words in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday during a Calling Attention Motion on Wayanad landslides issue.
BJP MP Tejaswi Surya attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has represented Wayanad, alleging that he never raised the issue of landslides in his constituency.
Participating in a Calling Attention Motion on the loss of lives and property due to landslides and floods in various parts of the country, Surya also claimed that despite recommendations by the Kerala disaster management body, illegal encroachments were not removed in Wayanad due to alleged pressure from religious organisations.
His remarks led to protests by Congress members forcing Speaker Om Birla to briefly adjourn the proceedings.
When the House resumed proceedings, Congress MP KC Venugopal asserted that as Wayanad MP, Gandhi had raised the issue of eco-sensitive Wayanad on several occasions. He claimed that Surya was trying to sabotage the debate and he will have to apologise for making "false claims" about Gandhi.
"House records will prove that Rahul Gandhi has raised the issue several times," Venugopal said.
Leader of Opposition Gandhi also urged the government to extend all possible help to the people of landslides-hit Wayanad and look into the "ecological issue" there.
He also urged the Centre to come up with a high-tech solution for preventing such tragedies in the future.
Gandhi said a "huge tragedy" had taken place in Kerala's Wayanad, and lauded the military's efforts there.
"I think it is very important that we support the people of Wayanad, that we give them as much support as possible and I request the government to help the people of Wayanad in this difficult time," the former Congress chief said.
"I think this is the second time this tragedy has taken place, it took place five years ago and it is quite clear that this area has an ecological issue, so this should be looked into. Whatever high-tech solution can be brought forward, that would be good," Gandhi said.
The devastating series of landslides in Kerala's Wayanad district has claimed the lives of at least 132 people and injured more than 200, with the toll expected to rise as rescuers search through the debris.
The Calling Attention Motion was taken up as the House was discussing Demands for Grants for the railway ministry
Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in his open remarks for the motion said disaster management has improved in the last ten years and the loss of lives and property has also been reduced.
He also said timely warnings were issued to the Kerala government about possible floods and landslides.
Revolutionary Socialist Party MP NK Premachandran appealed to the Speaker to discuss with political parties and direct for grant from MPLAD funds, citing example of the Tsunami rehabilitation measures in 2004.
"In the year 2004 when Tsunami took place, then Speaker Somnath Chatterjee with the request from MPs of concerned states, a direction was given that Rs 10 lakh from the MPLAD fund of each MP can be utilised for rehabiliation and rescue measures of the particular disaster. I appeal to the Speaker to discuss with political parties and issue a direction, so rehabilitation and rescue measures can be done using MPLAD funds," he said.