Authority of the Himalayan city of Joshimath, which is located in the north India, continued Sunday, January 8 until the evacuation of its residents after cracks appeared in hundreds of buildings, some of which began to sag. If the cause of this phenomenon remains unclear, residents of this Uttarakhand State commune will attribute it to the construction of roads and tunnels for a nearby hydroelectric project.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an emergency meeting on Sunday evening, and the government convened a panel of experts to conduct “quick studyon causes. At least 60 families have been moved to shelters, and many others, whose homes have started to collapse, are expected to be moved, local official Himanshu Khurana told AFP.

The authorities have already informed

But according to witnesses, most of the city’s population of 20,000 people have left their homes and many of them are forced to sleep in the freezing cold. They claim to have been telling authorities for weeks, if not months, about cracks in buildings and roads, some of which released muddy brown water. Another official, who requested anonymity, confirmed that several areas of the city had “restricted as dangerousand their access is limited. “People are very worried. We are afraid that the whole city will sink“, he stated. Helicopters flew over the city.

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Located around 1800m above sea level, Joshimath is the main access point to a number of important religious sites in the Himalayas, which attract thousands of pilgrims every year. It is also home to the main base of the Indian Army. This earthquake-prone region has experienced a number of disasters in recent years, which experts say are caused by melting glaciers and unplanned construction.

Several construction projects are planned, including a hydroelectric plant and a road shaft to improve access – by the army – to Chinese border areas and Hindu pilgrimage sites – one of Narendra Modi’s favorite projects. . In February 2021, at least 200 people died in flash floods in and around Joshimath, a toll that experts partially blame for over-building.

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