Not only Joshimath in Uttarakhand but many other places were also at risk of subsidence

A sinking Himalayan town of Joshimath is posing threats to the mountain range's fragile ecology amid expanding dams, roads and military sites near the border with China. Environmentalists and activists have warned about these risks for decades. have been going. His apprehensions seem to be coming true after the recent land subsidence. Due to the sliding of the layers of the lower part of the earth, the ground is slowly sinking. Hundreds of houses have developed cracks in Joshimath, a small town situated at a higher altitude. Joshimath is situated at an altitude of 6,000 feet (1,830 m) in the northern hill state of Uttarakhand. This has been said in a Bloomberg report.

This high seismic risk zone is associated with many picturesque towns and villages. It is a gateway to Hindu pilgrimage sites and strategic outposts in India's border dispute with China.

The region is already vulnerable to frequent extreme weather events and landslides. In the year 2013, more than 5000 people were killed in the state due to massive cloudburst. Four hydroelectric projects with a combined estimated cost of about Rs 155 billion are currently under construction in Uttarakhand.

Rajeev Upadhyay, Professor of Geology at Nainital's Kumaun University, said, "The villages and townships in the northern part of Uttarakhand are located along major active thrust zones within the Himalayas and the region is very vulnerable due to its fragile ecosystem." According to him "many settlements, which are built on the debris of old landslides, are already under natural stress and man-made constructions are adding to the area and stress." Landslides in the Joshimath region were reported in the early 1970s. According to the statement and satellite images released by the National Remote Sensing Center of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Joshimath town witnessed a maximum rapid subsidence of 5.4 cm in 12 days till January 8.