Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized the effectiveness of the Centre’s early warning system in disaster management, noting that it has been instrumental in preventing casualties in various states. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Amit Shah detailed how the Centre had issued timely alerts to state governments, including Kerala, ahead of severe weather events.
On July 23, the Centre alerted the Kerala government about impending heavy rainfall and potential landslides. The warnings continued over the next few days, with a specific alert on July 26 forecasting over 20 centimetres of rain, which posed a significant risk of landslides and slush flows. Shah criticized the Kerala government for not evacuating residents despite these warnings, pointing to the tragic outcome of landslides in Wayanad that claimed at least 158 lives.
Shah praised other state governments, such as those in Odisha and Gujarat, for their proactive response to similar warnings. He highlighted that in Odisha, an alert issued seven days before a cyclone helped minimize casualties, with only one reported death. Similarly, Gujarat acted promptly on a three-day advance warning, resulting in no loss of life.
Since 2014, the Government of India has invested ₹2000 crore in the development of an early warning system that covers various natural disasters, including rains, heatwaves, storms, and lightning. The system provides alerts to all states and makes information available on a dedicated website. Shah underscored the importance of this system in disaster preparedness and urged states to heed the warnings and take necessary precautions.
As Kerala continues to deal with the aftermath of recent landslides, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted ‘heavy to very heavy rainfall’ at isolated locations, further underscoring the need for vigilance and timely action.