Joshimath sank over 14 cm in last 10 months, reveals ISRO: See satellite images of Uttarakhand town

The sinking crisis in Joshimath has intensified, with the families living in the danger-prone areas now being moved to safer locations. The Centre has also taken several steps to assess the situation, including conducting a survey of the sinking ground and the cracks in roads and houses.

Joshimath, which is a holy town in Uttarakhand and is the gateway to Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib pilgrimages, has been under the warning of experts for several decades now, and experts have revealed that the land subsidence has intensified over the last few months.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has released several satellite images of the Joshimath town in Uttarakhand, comparing the past and present conditions of land subsidence in the area. According to ISRO, the Joshimath land has sunk several centimeters in the last months.

The pictures released by ISRO have been taken from the Cartosat-2S satellite. Hyderabad-based NRSC has released satellite images of areas that are sinking. In images, the entire town, including the Army’s helipad and the Narasimha temple, has been marked as a sensitive zone.

According to the report, the land subsidence was slow between April and November 2022, during which Joshimath had sunk by 8.9 cm. But between December 27, 2022, and January 8, 2023, the intensity of land subsidence increased and the town sank by 5.4 cm in these 12 days.

The satellite images show that the Joshimath-Auli road is also going to collapse due to land subsidence. Joshimath is the gateway for Auli, which is a famous skiing destination in India.

Although scientists are still studying the cracks that appeared in the houses and roads after the land subsidence in the town, the findings in the primary report of ISRO are frightening. The satellite images released by ISRO made shocking revelations, drawing comparisons between the past and present conditions of the town.

(With IANS inputs)

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