Uttrakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited sinking Joshimath on Saturday to assess the situation on the ground. He met the affected people and assured them of all help, officials said.

The CM also met the team of officials and experts who have been camping in the town since Thursday and took their feedback on the evacuation exercise, they said.

He walked through the narrow streets in the affected areas and also went inside houses in which huge cracks have appeared on the walls and ceilings.

"Evacuating affected families in the danger zone to safe locations is the government's priority for now," Dhami told reporters.

"We are also working on a long term rehabilitation strategy," he said.

After visiting the affected areas in the Himalayan town, Dhami said that suitable places for relocation of residents near Pipalkoti and Gauchar are also being identified.

Officials have been asked not to get entangled in long procedural complexities and take direct clearance from him for projects related to treatment of drainage and sewage systems in Joshimath, he said.

Dhami said that Joshimath is an important place from the cultural, religious and tourism point of view and all efforts will be made to save it.

The CM also prayed at the famous Narsingh temple in town for keeping its residents out of harm's way.

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