Joshimath Land Sinking: Cracks Continue To Develop On Roads, Houses. In Pics

A temple collapsed in Joshimath on Friday, sounding an alert for residents living under constant fear of a major disaster in the offing. Disaster management officials were present on site.

Visuals from the affected areas in Joshimath

On Saturday morning, cracks were reportedly formed in Joshmimath, Uttarakhand. Houses, streets none were left untouched. Every piece of land or property faced damage even if it was negligible. (Image Source: PTI)

The hilly roads which were built for commute had major cracks formed this morning. People were afraid to walk on these. (Image Source: PTI)

A variety of factors both anthropogenic and natural have led to the subsidence of Joshimath, director of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology Kalachand Sain said on Friday. (Image Source: PTI)

“The three principal factors are Joshimath's vulnerable foundations as it was developed on the debris of a landslide triggered by an earthquake more than a century ago, its location in seismic zone V which is more prone to earthquakes besides gradual weathering and water percolation which reduce the cohesive strength of the rocks over time,” Sain told PTI. (Image Source: PTI)

"Many houses in the town are unlikely to survive and people living in them must be shifted to safe locations as life is precious," he said. Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered evacuation of more than 600 people of that and nearby area. (Image Source: ANI)

"Saving lives is our first priority. Officials have been asked to shift around 600 families living in endangered houses in Joshimath to safe locations," Dhami said on Friday after reviewing the situation in the sinking town with officials via video conference, as quoted by news agency PTI. "We are also working on short and long-term plans to address the situation in Joshimath," he said. (Image Source: Twitter | @ANI)