Sinking towns, terrified residents: the unintended consequences of India’s infrastructure drive

An infrastructure push in India's northern Himalayan state of Uttarakhand is having some devastating consequences: towns are sinking. Hundreds of residents were recently evacuated from the city of Joshimath after their homes sank by 5.4 centimetres (2.1in) in less than two weeks. Similar scenes are playing out in villages across the Himalayan state in the wake of large-scale infrastructure projects that include dams, power plants and strategic roadways along the country’s volatile border with China. Residents have warned for years about the region’s fragility, and now many are unsure about their future.