Officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Disaster Management Authority met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami here to assess the situation in Joshimath and underlined the need for ascertaining the location of underground water accumulation in the subsidence zone.

Water accumulation under the ground in the affected area is considered to be in Joshimath but the source of the water is yet to be ascertained. The central team of officials also said a geological survey of the areas identified for the rehabilitation of the affected people should be carried out.

The help of scientists of all the institutions concerned will be taken to resolve the issue, they said and assured the state government of all assistance from the Centre in dealing with the crisis, Secretary, Disaster Management, Ranjit Sinha told reporters on Monday.

The chief minister told the central team that Joshimath is an important town from cultural, religious and strategic points of view and integrated efforts will be needed for its restoration. Efforts are being made on a war footing to save the town and evacuate the people living in the subsidence zone to safe locations, he said.

Meanwhile, the state government is also working on designing a relief package for the people of the disaster-hit town, which will soon be sent to the Centre, Sinha said. It has also been decided to "mechanically remove" two hotels in Joshimath that have been badly affected by land subsidence.

The hotels -- Mount View and Malari Inn -- were closed after the structures developed huge cracks more than a week ago. A team from the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee conducted a snap review of the hotels in Joshimath and provided a list of equipment it will need for their "mechanical removal", Sinha said.