DEHRADUN: A second landslide hit Varunavat Parvat in Uttarkashi on Friday, three days after the first rockfall on Tuesday, that had led to the evacuation of over 200 residents. Following the latest landslide, district authorities have asked 32 families in the Gufiyara area to shift to safer locations. The repeated rockfall from the mountain, which overlooks Uttarkashi town, has revived memories of a series of similar landslides in 2003 when over 3,000 people were evacuated, and around 100 buildings in the hill town were damaged.
Fearing a repeat of the incident 21 years later, residents of Uttarkashi, which is regarded as the gateway to the Char Dham shrine towns of Gangotri and Yamunotri, are a worried lot. Subhash Kumai, 43, one of the affected residents, told TOI, “We are constantly living in fear. Our family has been a witness to the 2003 incident, when landslides from the mountain had persisted for several weeks. We fear that a similar situation could occur this time as well. Govt should take immediate steps to ensure the wellbeing of residents.”
Devendra Patwal, disaster management officer of Uttarkashi, said, “The situation is being constantly monitored. An expert team is expected to visit soon to assess the situation and recommend necessary corrective actions.”
Meanwhile, in Pagnau village of Chamoli district, situated near subsidence-hit Joshimath, debris entered four houses following a landslide on Thursday. District disaster management officer Nand Kishore Joshi told TOI, “No loss of life and injury was reported in the incident. The village has been witnessing a number of landslides and therefore, we are taking steps to safeguard residents.”
Almost all the villagers which comprises of 53 families, had already evacuated to safer locations, said Joshi. A plot near the village has been identified for their rehabilitation. “The land is around one kilometre from the village and villagers would be shifted there soon,” said the officer.
