Land Subsidence Phenomena in Joshimath Town, Garhwal Himalaya, India: Field Observations and Possible Causes

Abstract

Astract The town of Joshimath, in the state of Uttarakhand, India, has been witnessing severe ground subsidence problems. Though the land subsidence has been documented since a long time, there were sudden enhanced appearance of cracks on the ground and in houses overnight on 2nd and 3rd of January 2023, in the western segment of the Joshimath town. At the same time, there was high-volume of sediment-laden water discharge inside the Jaypee Colony beginning from 3rd of January 2023. More than 1000 houses and infrastructure were severely damaged during this event. Therefore, it is being of high importance to study the present situation and highlight the possible reasons that make this area vulnerable to land subsidence. With this aim, the present study incorporates different data sources and field observations to provide an overview of the present situation of the Joshimath town.