Discover the Cities that Are Sinking Fast
Earlier this year, a satellite data-based study revealed that New York City is experiencing a notable sinking rate of 1-2 millimeters annually across the city, with varying rates in different urban areas. Although the weight of high-rise buildings is identified as a contributing factor, New York is not the fastest-sinking city globally.
Cities worldwide sink due to various factors, including building weight and over-pumping groundwater. A 2022 study assessed subsidence rates in 99 coastal cities at risk of flooding using satellite data from 2015 to 2020. In many cities, land is subsiding faster than sea levels are rising, suggesting an increased flood risk sooner than predicted.
“The most rapid subsidence occurs in South, Southeast, and East Asia. However, rapid subsidence is also happening in North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia,” the study noted, attributing human activity, primarily groundwater extraction, as the leading cause.
Top sinking cities include Tianjin, China (5.22 cm/year), Semarang, Indonesia (3.96 cm/year), and Jakarta (3.44 cm/year). Houston is the sole U.S. city in the top 10, sinking at 1.95 cm/year.
Mexico City holds the record for the fastest sinking, with a consistent rate of 50 cm/year since 1950. This subsidence is attributed to the compaction of the clay-rich lake bed on which the city was built. The study warns that recovery is unlikely, even with raised water levels, estimating an entire compaction period of approximately 150 years, leading to additional subsidence up to 30 meters.
Read the original article on IFL Science.
Read more: Top 10: Leading Smart Cities in Sustainability.
