Over 290 people have died and 200 are still missing after devastating landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad. Over 80,000 square metres of land slipped and the debris flowed for about 8 kilometres along the Iruvaiphuzha river.
Chooralmala in Kerala reverberated with the loud noise of heavy rain and rocks slipping down the mountains. There are several mountains in the state where over half of the terrain consists of slopes exceeding 20 degrees. The rescue operations are underway, with the Army, NDRF and state emergency services carrying out the tough mission of relief and rescue as rain lashed several areas.
Tiny makeshift bridges were erected over swollen rivers and excavators were engaged non-stop in removing piles of debris and boulders in the landslide-hit hamlets of Wayanad.
In some places, rescuers formed human bridges using ropes to ensure the safe evacuation of people. In riskier terrain, people were lifted by making them sit on wooden platforms across a river that was in spate.
Alert Was Issued
Amit Shah claimed yesterday that the Centre had provided early warnings to the Kerala government as early as July 23. He claimed that the Centre had dispatched nine National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to Kerala in anticipation of heavy rainfall and potential landslides. “The Kerala government was warned a week in advance, but they failed to evacuate people in time, leading to the tragic loss of lives,” Mr Shah said.
Speaking to NDTV, Ms George described Mr Shah’s statement as “unfortunate and misleading”. She insisted that thorough checks of all messages from the central government came up with no red alert. “We have verified all communications from the Centre, and there was no red alert issued regarding landslides. The district administration acted based on an orange alert, which is a level lower in severity,” Ms George stated.
Centre’s Response
Union Minister George Kurian, who visited Wayanad on the night of the disaster, reiterated the Centre’s commitment to supporting Kerala. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was closely monitoring the situation and had directed immediate assistance and resources to the affected areas. “Both control rooms of the Ministry of Home Affairs are operational 24/7, ensuring all possible support is extended to the state,” Mr Kurian said.
The Indian Army and Air Force are actively engaged in rescue operations. Two columns of army personnel and two Indian Air Force helicopters have been deployed, alongside NDRF, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and specialised dog squads to aid in the search and rescue efforts.
Political Reactions
Parliament proceedings saw heated exchanges, with opposition members stressing the need for robust early warning systems. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, representing Wayanad, urged the government to extend all possible aid to the affected people and address the ecological concerns contributing to such disasters. Mr Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are expected to visit the relief camps set up in the district today.
BJP member Tejasvi Surya criticised Gandhi, claiming that he never raised the issue of landslides in his constituency. He also alleged that illegal encroachments in Wayanad, ignored due to pressure from religious organisations, exacerbated the disaster. These remarks led to protests from Congress members, causing a brief adjournment of the proceedings.