Joshimath Sank 5.4 cm in Just 12 Days, Entire Town at Risk

Uttarakhand's Joshimath saw a rapid sinking of 5.4 cm in just 12 days, according to a report by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Satellite images released by ISRO's National Remote Sensing Centre show the town sank 5.4 cm between December 27 and January 8.

The report, quoting witnesses, said the massive soil sinking occurred due to "a rapid subsidence event that was triggered on January 2, 2022."

The images, taken from the Cartosat-2S satellite, was released by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of ISRO. The report also hints that the entire Joshimath town may sink, reported by IANS.

According to the images, the entire town, including the Army's helipad and the Narasimha temple, has been marked as a sensitive zone. 

Besides, the land subsidence was slow between April 2022 and November 2022, which saw a sink rate of 9 cm. The report added that the satellite images show that the Joshimath-Auli road is also going to collapse.

This comes as over 700 buildings, nearly a fourth of the town's total, have developed cracks. Following this, evacuation has begun from the area. However, the irate local people are seeking compensation from the government. 

The Uttarakhand High Court has ordered the Uttarakhand government to come up with a robust plan for Joshimath. The order was in response to a PIL filed on the crisis.

The court also directed the government to form a committee of independent experts which includes Disaster Management Authority CEO Piyush Rautela and Executive Director, Space Application Centre, MPS Bisht, to look into the matter.

Joshimath is called the "winter seat" of Lord Badrinath, whose idol is brought down from the main Badrinath temple to Vasudeva temple in the town every winter. It is also the gateway to the Sikh holy shrine Hemkund Sahib.