Joshimath sank 5.4cm in 12 days, show ISRO’s satellite images

India

oi-Deepika S

The
subsidence
zone
includes
the
Army
Helipad
and
Narsingh
Mandir,
the
satellite
images
revealed.

New
Delhi,
Jan
13:
The
satellite
images
of
the
‘sinking’ city
Joshimath,
revealed
that
a
rapid
subsidence
of
5.4cm
has
been
recorded
in
12
days
between
December
27,
2022
and
January
8,
2023.

In
images,
taken
from
the
Cartosat-2S
satellite,
the
entire
town,
including
the
Army’s
helipad
and
the
Narasimha
temple,
has
been
marked
as
sensitive
zone.

The
National
Remote
Sensing
Centre
said
the
12-day
sinking
rate
has
been
rapid
as
between
April
2022
and
November
2022,
Joshimath
saw
a
slow
subsidence
of
9cm.

The
subsidence
zone
includes
the
Army
Helipad
and
Narsingh
Mandir,
the
satellite
images
revealed.
The
crown
of
the
subsidence
is
located
near
Joshimath-Auli
road
at
a
height
of
2,180m.

Key
observation
by
ISRO

1. Slow
   subsidence
   up
   to
   9
   cm
   within
   the
   Joshimath
   town
   is
   recorded
   over
   a
   period
   of
   7
   months,
   between
   April
   and
   November
   2022.
2. Between
   27th
   December
   2022
   and
   8
   h
   January
   2023
   (possibly
   on
   2nd
   January
   2022
   as
   per
   eyewitness
   reports)
   a
   rapid
   subsidence
   event
   was
   triggered.
3. The
   region
   subsided
   around
   5
   cm
   within
   a
   span
   of
   a
   few
   days
   and
   the
   areal
   extent
   of
   subsidence
   has
   also
   increased.
   But
   it
   is
   confined
   to
   the
   central
   part
   of
   Joshimath
   town.
4. A
   subsidence
   zone
   resembling
   a
   generic
   landslide
   shape
   was
   identified
   (tapered
   top
   and
   fanning
   out
   at
   base).
   Crown
   of
   the
   subsidence
   is
   located
   near
   Joshimath-Auli
   road
   at
   a
   height
   of
   2180
   m.

Meanwhile,
the
process
of
demolishing
two
”unsafe”
hotels
in
subsidence-hit
Joshimath
began
on
Thursday,
two
days
after
the
exercise
was
stalled
due
to
protests
by
their
owners
demanding
compensation,
while
the
evacuation
of
affected
people
to
safer
locations
continued.

Joshimath,
the
gateway
to
famous
pilgrimage
sites
like
Badrinath
and
Hemkund
Sahib
and
international
skiing
destination
Auli,
is
facing
a
major
challenge
due
to
land
subsidence.

A
total
of
169
families
consisting
of
589
members
have
so
far
been
shifted
to
relief
centres.
There
are
835
rooms
serving
as
relief
centres
in
Joshimath
and
Pipalkoti
which
can
together
accomodate
3,630
people,
he
said.

An
interim
assistance
of
Rs
1.5
lakh
has
been
paid
so
far
to
42
affected
families.
Chief
Minister
Pushkar
Singh
Dhami
said
a
committee
would
decide
the
market
rate
for
compensation
to
be
paid
to
the
families
affected
in
Joshimath
keeping
in
mind
the
interests
of
stakeholders.

Dhami
said
only
20-25
per
cent
houses
in
Joshimath
were
affected
by
land
subsidence
and
not
the
whole
town.
He
said
creating
a
negative
impression
could
harm
the
local
people’s
livelihoods,
who
depend
on
earnings
generated
from
tourism
and
pilgrimages
and
called
for
collective
efforts
to
strengthen
the
morale
of
people
to
overcome
this
phase.

Around
80
km
from
Joshimath,
at
least
50
houses
at
Bahuguna
Nagar
in
Karnaprayag
have
been
developing
cracks
since
2015,
according
to
reports.