The satellite images show that the Joshimath-Auli road is also going to collapse due to the land subsidence
Dehradun: The National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has released satellite images of Joshimath and a preliminary report on land subsidence which shows that the entire town may sink.
The pictures are taken from the Cartosat-2S satellite.
Hyderabad-based NRSC has released the 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 sensitive zone.
On the basis of ISRO’s preliminary report, Uttarakhand government is conducting rescue operation in danger-prone areas and the people in these areas are being shifted to safer places on priority.
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 the land subsidence.
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.
Based on ISRO’s early findings, the Uttarakhand government is conducting rescue operations in high-risk locations, and residents are being relocated to safer areas on a priority basis.
According to the analysis, Joshimath dipped by 8.9 cm between April and November 2022 due to sluggish soil subsidence. However, the intensity of ground subsidence rose between December 27, 2022 and January 8, 2023, and the town sank by 5.4 cm in these 12 days.
According to satellite pictures, the Joshimath-Auli route would also collapse due to ground subsidence.
Although scientists are currently investigating the fissures that formed in the town’s houses and roadways as a result of ground subsidence, the findings in Isro’s primary report are concerning.
Apart from ISRO, geoscientists were also roped in to understand the crisis in the holy town, that is also considered the gateway to revered Hindu pilgrimage of Badrinath and Sikh shrine of Hemkund Sahib along with trekkers’ paradise of Valley of Flowers.
Guwahati Institute and IIT Roorkee also conducted studies in the sensitive area.
Huge fissures have been spotted in Joshimath’s houses, roads, and fields, and many houses have sunk.
Cracks in the Joshimath-Malari border route, which connects India and China, have been detected as a result of landslides in Joshimath. A large stretch of the Badrinath National Highway has also been covered by landslides.
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