In Joshimath, teams painted red Xs on houses as the Uttarakhand government on Monday ordered all unstable structures to be demolished, even as more buildings developed cracks and top officials warned that every minute counts.

In the hill town where land subsidence has threatened the lives of 20,000 people, at least 678 buildings had developed cracks as of Monday, including 68 that were newly affected.

A team from the Union government inspected the area to determine the extent and cause of the land subsidence, and SS Sandhu directed officials to vacate the demarcated danger zone.

In view of the land subsidence in Joshimath, every minute is vital. It is imperative that people living in the affected area move to a safe place as soon as possible. Sandhu said that buildings which have developed cracks and have become dilapidated should be demolished immediately so that further damage can be avoided.

Approximately 200 houses in the sinking town have been marked with red crosses, asking occupants either to move to temporary relief centers or to rented housing for which the state government will provide assistance of $4000 per month for the next six months. Scores of residents were seen moving household belongings out, while others appeared reluctant to leave their homes.

The administration has drew a big X symbol in red paint on our house. They say it’s unsafe to live. We are packing our belongings to move to a hotel where our family will stay. I spent my entire life building this house. According to Harish, a Singh Dhar ward resident, he just wanted to know who was responsible for its destruction.

On Monday, at least 27 more families were relocated to relief camps, bringing the total number of displaced families to 81. Sarita Uniyal, a resident of Manohar Bagh, was among the people whose homes were the latest to develop cracks. Until yesterday, I thought we wouldn't have to leave our house. Since cracks have appeared in our house and are getting wider, we have been told to leave and take refuge in government relief camps,” she said.

In addition to the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force deployed for relief and rescue efforts, Sandhu met with state secretariat officials to review the situation and ask them to speed up the evacuation process.

According to officials, the Prime Minister's Office monitors Joshimath's developments regularly, with a team led by the secretary for Border Management at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

According to PK Mishra, the principal secretary of the Prime Minister, the state government should establish a clear and continuous communication channel with residents as the immediate priority should be the safety of people living in the affected area.

A team of experts from NDMA, National Institute of Disaster Management, Geological Survey of India, IIT Roorkee, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, National Institute of Hydrology and Central Building Research Institute will study the situation and provide recommendations, the PMO said on Sunday. According to Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured the state of all possible help.

In order to save Joshimath, we have urged everyone to work together. Residents of 68 houses that were in danger of collapse have been relocated. An area spanning 600 houses is being designated as a danger zone, and efforts are underway to relocate its residents. “It is imperative that everyone comes together at this time to save Joshimath,” said the CM.

(This news is originally sourced from a News syndicate and is edited to remove plagiarism. Images are also sourced from the internet and are edited. No violation of copyright is intended.)

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