Kannur (Keralam) [India], August 8 : Keralam Leader of Opposition (LoP) Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state has been in a major crisis due to the heavy rains and that the government has failed to take precautions.
Speaking at a press conference in Kannur, Vijayan said 26 people had died in rain-related incidents in the state so far and called for unity to support people affected by the disaster.
He said the opposition would fully support the government's relief efforts but alleged that there had been several failures in ensuring public safety.
Vijayan said extensive damage had been reported in Cherupuzha and Peravoor areas of Kannur district. He also criticised the authorities for failing to clear a road blockage caused by a landslide in Jose Giri in Cherupuzha even after a week and alleged delays in locating missing people in Puzha.
Referring to the floods of 2018 and 2019, Vijayan said Kerala had managed those disasters with minimal damage despite having no previous experience.
He alleged that administrative systems were not sufficiently vigilant in assessing weather warnings and taking precautionary measures during the current spell of heavy rain.
Vijayan said there were no necessary warnings or precautions when heavy rains began on July 31 and cited the disaster at the Wayanad tunnel construction area as another example of alleged negligence.
He further alleged that despite forecasts of heavy rain, the red alert was not declared in time and that alerts were issued only after the rains began. He also said necessary precautions were not taken despite warnings of landslides.