Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah has said that Centre had given four early warnings of heavy rainfall and possible landslides to the Kerala Government and that if these warnings had been taken seriously, the tragedy due to landslides in Wayanad district could have been averted.

Taking part in discussions on the situation in Wayanad, Kerala, in both the houses of Parliament, Shah said that on 23 July, seven days before the disaster, the Centre had given an early warning to the Kerala Government and after this, early warnings were also given on 24 and 25 July 2024. He said that on 26 July, the Kerala Government was told that there would be heavy rainfall of more than 20 cm and there are possibilities of landslides potentially causing loss of life of property.

Shah expressed his condolences to all those who lost their lives and wished speedy recovery to those injured in the natural calamity and assured that the Union Government is making every possible effort for rescue, relief and rehabilitation in Wayanad.

The Union Home Minister also said that nine NDRF teams were airlifted by the Government of India on 23 July 2024 to Kerala, in anticipation of disaster and asked the Kerala government why it failed to shift the people living in the vulnerable zones.  He lamented, had the Kerala Government acted in time, many lives would have been saved.

Further, he informed that apart from the nine battalions of NDRF sent on 23 July 2024, three more battalions were dispatched on 30th July 2024. He said that this is the time to stand with the Government and the people of Kerala.

Meanwhile the Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan has said that no early warnings were received by the State ahead of the disaster. Speaking to reporters, he said that it was not the time for blame game.

Vijayan informed that 144 bodies had been recovered while 191 people were still missing.