What early warning did Kerala have before Wayanad disaster?
The Hindu
Amit Shah claims early warning systems alerted Kerala government before Wayanad landslides, despite discrepancies in forecasts.
In his response to a ‘calling attention’ motion on Wayanad landslides in the Parliament on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah made several claims on early warning systems in India and how they were utilised to alert the Kerala government ahead of the tragedy.
“On July 18, an early warning was issued saying that Kerala will receive more than normal rainfall in western coastal area. On July 23, it was reframed to very heavy rainfall. On July 25, the warning was made more specific to ‘heavy to very heavy’ rainfall,” Mr. Shah said in the Lok Sabha.
An India Meteorological Department (IMD) press release dated July 18 issued on outlook for a flash flood risk in northern parts of Kerala, among other places, until 11.30 a.m. on July 19. The extended range forecast, also issued on the same day for July 18-31, carried no mention of Kerala for the period, however.
An IMD press release published on July 23 warned of “very heavy rainfall at isolated places” in Kerala and Mahe on July 25 (suggesting action), and heavy rainfall over isolated/some places in Kerala and Mahe from July 23-27.
The visual sub-division-wise weather warnings under this forecast carried an orange alert for Kerala for July 25 and a yellow “watch” alert for July 23, 24, 26, and 27. A yellow alert doesn’t specifically call for action.
The press release published on July 25 said “scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm and lightning [was] very likely over Kerala and Mahe (and other places) over the next five days”, and heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Kerala and Mahe from July 25-29. Visual warnings, as depicted on maps, also showed a yellow alert for Kerala.
The extended range forecast for July 25 to August 7 predicted “scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm and lightning very likely over Kerala and Mahe [and other places], as well as heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places during the week”.
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