Recent events of land subsidence in Alaknanda valley: a case study of sinking holy town Joshimath, Uttarakhand, India

Recent events of land subsidence in culturally and tourism-centric Joshimath town in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand culminate in declaring the town as a landslide/subsidence ‘hit zone’ area. The area is highly vulnerable to various geological and hydrological disasters stemming from its rugged terrain and geological instability. The recent tragic occurrence of land subsidence caused adverse implications on the infrastructure and local population’s sustenance inducing disturbances in environmental, and social facets. This study incorporates a brief review of the current status and plausible causes of land subsidence in Joshimath town. The establishment of the town on the ‘debris of ancient landslide,’ proximity to major geological discontinuities, tectonically fragile area, and population upsurge are key drivers that appear to have exacerbated the ongoing slope instability and land subsidence. Thus, the present review will aid to encompass further scientific studies to monitor the sinking of ground in such mountainous regions for mitigating land subsidence. Furthermore, it also discusses the consequences of land subsidence and remedial measures, thereby aiding policymakers and concerned authorities to develop risk management plans and therefore enhancing the region’s overall resilience to such disasters.