Joshimath (Uttarakhand):In view of increased risk of cracks and landslides at Joshimath temple town in Chamoli district here, the Uttarakhand Government has initiated massive efforts to evacuate hundreds of families. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is visiting the affected areas in Joshimath today to take stock of the humanitarian situation there. Cracks seen in houses, temples and public buildings create panic in the region.
A temple in the town's Marwari area fell on a residential building on Friday, following land sinking due to subsidence. The administration promptly evacuated some people to safer places, thereby preventing any casualty. Considering emerging crisis, a high-level committee formed by the government is tasked with shifting the vulnerable residents in Joshimath to relief camps at municipal buildings, gurudwaras and schools.
Latest reports say several hundreds of houses, that have developed cracks, are on the verge of collapse, leading to panic among the residents. Nine wards in the municipal town have been extensively affected by the land sinking. The situation seems to be getting worse in Joshimath's Sunil, Manohar Bagh and Gandhi wards with huge cracks showing up on the walls of many houses.
Along with this, the Jaypee residential colony located in Marwari area has also come under threat. If it rains even a little, water seeping in the big cracks threatens to create havoc in the town.