The Indian Government declares a state of disaster in the Templar city of Josimath due to danger of sinking

8 Jan. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Indian government has declared the Templar city of Josimath as “unsafe for life” and in a “state of disaster” after more than 60 families were evacuated yesterday following the collapse of a temple and the collapse of several houses.

The decision adopted by the authorities of the state of Uttarajand affects all the nine districts of the area and after the recommendation of a team of experts that examined the damages that present 600 of the 4,500 buildings of the city.

The team, collects the ‘Times of India’, has determined that “the houses in Joshimath that present the most serious damage should be demolished” after verifying more than a hundred more cracked buildings in the last hours.

Evacuation tasks continue. To the 60 families that left their homes yesterday, 90 will be added in the next few hours and the exit procedures will continue throughout these days. The authorities contemplate that up to 600 families would have to leave their homes over the next week.

The country’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, has guaranteed state authorities that they will receive all possible help to save the city from collapsing underground and has called a meeting of experts to assess the situation.

Eight nearby hotels have opened their doors to anyone who decides to evacuate at their own risk, according to officials from the Chamoli municipality. In total, the state government has prepared accommodation for 1,500 people, a figure that could increase in the coming days.

Experts believe that the deterioration is due to several factors, both human and environmental, which have dented the buildings over a long time, according to geologist Kalachand Sain, and left houses exposed to landslides and sinkholes.

Josimath, home to some 15,000 people, is considered a gateway to icons of Hindu and Sikh religious tourism such as Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib, and is home to one of the largest Indian military bases on the Chinese border.