Land sinking, houses cracking up, families flee: Uttarakhand in major trouble

Joshimath (Uttarakhand): Over 570 houses have developed cracks in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath, affecting more than 3000 people in a horrible case of land subsidence.

Officials said 29 families were taken to safer places while many others are too reluctant to leave behind their broken houses.

The rare phenomenon has spread across all nine wards in the Himalayan town known for its religious and strategic importance.

After land began to sink, reportedly caused by climate and infrastructural changes, over 60 families have left town, NDTV reported.

Nearly 500 families are still living in their houses risking their lives or as another report shows they must be looking for places to go.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will visit the town to review the situation and is reportedly getting expert reports.

"All the houses are being surveyed by the municipality. Many people have also left their homes," the municipality chief reportedly said.

A team from IIT Roorkee is among those experts preparing a report on the disaster for the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said he will be visiting Joshimath shortly and take required steps to remedy the situation.

Atul Sati, convener of Save Joshimath Committee, said people’s call for rehabilitation for a year was not heard.

Atul Sati went on to say that the area’s base is sinking and people are propping up their houses with bamboo poles as the government goes unfazed.

Meanwhile, the Disaster Management Department reported incidents of water seepage below ground in the area.

Madhavi Sati, a former municipal chief, whose house developed huge cracks, said she had no place to go but live in a ruined house.

Joshimath is known as the gateway for climbing expeditions in the Himalayas.