Thousands of people in the north Indian town of Joshimath are cooped up in camps after their homes developed alarming cracks in the past few weeks.
So far, nearly 600 people belonging to 145 families have been shifted from their homes to schools, hotels, and homestays, after cracks developed in more than 750 buildings in the Himalayan town of 20,000 people.
Experts say the town faces the danger of sinking, which they attribute to unplanned development and a lack of a proper drainage system.
Over the last few weeks, disaster response teams have evacuated hundreds of residents and moved them to safer areas. It’s not clear how long these families would have to stay in the new lodgings. Authorities say their priority, for now, is to save lives.
If there are relocations within Joshimath or some other place, this will involve talking to all stakeholders, but the authorities are expediting the process and ensuring that it is done as quickly as possible.
Some residents choose to return to their homes during the daytime to cook and tend to their livestock, before proceeding back to their temporary residences in the evening.
It’s never easy to leave behind your house, belongings, and livestock unguarded. It’s a depressing routine and people say they feel homesick and anxious about their future.
Some of them worry about the possible size of a relief package and are demanding written assurances from the government. A parent, who preferred to remain unnamed, complained about the impact of the crisis on his son’s studies and mental health.