The Indian government has declared the Templar town of Josimath as «unsafe for life» and in a «state of disaster» after more than 60 families were evacuated yesterday following the collapse of a temple and the cracking of several houses.
The decision taken by Uttarajand state authorities affects all nine districts in the area and follows the recommendation of a team of experts who examined the damage to 600 of the city’s 4,500 buildings.
The team, according to the ‘Times of India’, has determined that «the houses in Joshimath with the most serious damage will be demolished» after finding more than a hundred more cracked buildings in the last few hours.
Evacuation efforts continue. The 60 families who left their homes yesterday will be joined by 90 in the next few hours and the evacuation procedures will continue over the next few days. Authorities expect that up to 600 families will have to leave their homes over the next week.
The country’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has assured state authorities that they will receive all possible help to save the city from collapsing underground and convened a meeting of experts to assess the situation.
Eight nearby hotels have opened their doors for anyone who decides to evacuate at their own risk, according to Chamoli municipality officials. In total, the state government has prepared accommodations for 1,500 people, a number that could increase in the coming days.
Experts believe that the deterioration is due to several human and environmental factors, which have dented the buildings over a long period of time, according to geologist Kalachand Sain, and left the houses exposed to landslides and sinkholes.
Josimath, home to some 15,000 people, is considered a gateway to Hindu and Sikh religious tourism icons such as Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib, and is home to one of the major Indian military bases bordering China.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
