- Authorities in one of India’s holiest towns evacuated scared residents on Sunday
- villagers blamed the construction of roads and tunnels on a neighboring hydroelectric project.
- At least 200 people were killed in flash floods in Joshimath and adjacent areas
DEHRADUN: Authorities in one of India’s holiest towns evacuated scared residents on Sunday when hundreds of houses developed wide cracks and began sinking, officials said.
The source of the apparent subsidence in Joshimath, Uttarakhand’s northernmost town, was unknown, although villagers blamed the construction of roads and tunnels on a neighboring hydroelectric project.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has scheduled a high-level meeting for later Sunday to examine the issue, following the formation of an expert group to conduct a “rapid probe” into the cause.
According to local official Himanshu Khurana, at least 60 families have been transferred to shelters, and many more are likely to be relocated from their sinking homes.
Residents stated a significantly bigger number had already abandoned their homes, and that 600 houses and hotels were sinking in the 20,000-person town.
On the condition of anonymity, another official stated that many areas of town had been “demarcated hazardous” and admission had been banned.
“People are quite concerned. The village is feared to be collapsing “As helicopters inspected the region, he said.
Many residents have been forced to sleep outside in the severe weather, after warning authorities for weeks, if not months, about cracks in houses and roadways, some of which were seeping dark murky water.
One woman, Vineeta Devi, stated that in October, fissures began to show in her walls, which have now become so large that her house, along with 25 others in her neighborhood, is on the verge of collapsing.
“We made this house with our life’s earnings, but now it’s gone,” said Sunaina, another resident.
Pilgrims
Joshimath, located around 1,800 meters (6,000 feet) above sea level, is a significant gateway to a number of important religious sites in the Himalayas, attracting thousands of pilgrims each year.
The town also serves as a significant Indian army post, as well as a crucial road leading to the disputed border with China, which has reportedly developed huge fissures.
Pillars supporting a four-kilometer (2.5-mile) cable car ropeway leading to the Auli ski resort, one of Asia’s largest, was also allegedly damaged.
The region is prone to earthquakes, and a series of recent calamities have been blamed by experts on melting glaciers and unrestricted buildings.
Hydroelectric plants are being built, as is a large route that will improve military access to the Chinese border area and Hindu pilgrimage sites – a pet project of Modi’s.
At least 200 people were killed in flash floods in Joshimath and adjacent areas in February 2021, a calamity that experts blamed in part on overdevelopment.
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