Joshimath Declared Disaster-affected Area as Cracks Sink Gateway to Badrinath

Dehradun: Days after cracks started appearing in the gateway to Badrinath and evacuation of affected people, the Uttarakhand government on Sunday declared parts of Joshimath town as disaster-affected areas. 

The government’s decision comes following the geologists recommendation who are surveying the affected houses in the region. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the affected areas in Joshimath on Saturday and took stock of the land subsidence or ‘sinking’ situation in the Himalayan town.

So far 60 families living in damaged houses were shifted to temporary relief centres. According to Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar, 90 more affected families have to be evacuated as soon as possible. 

Garhwal Commissioner said Joshimath has been declared a landslide-subsidence zone. He said out of 4,500 buildings in Joshimath, 610 houses have developed huge cracks and he is expecting the number of damaged houses to increase as the survey of houses is still underway. 

“Land subsidence has been going on slowly in Joshimath for quite some time but the situation worsened apparently after a water channel beneath the town erupted last week,” Kumar said. 

Very scary situation unfolding in #Joshimath. Massive cracks and fissures in almost all houses, major hotels and roads. More than 700 families are impacted. Leaning buildings across the town.

Families tell me, "The govt knew everything since last year but never took any action." pic.twitter.com/G9SRvmG1kV

— Tanushree Pandey (@TanushreePande) January 6, 2023

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Experts have blamed the rampant infrastructure development for the appearance of huge cracks in houses and on roads in Joshimath. They say one cannot mess up with the fragile Himalayan environment to an extent that is irreversible.