Scientists say cities are sinking for a variety of reasons, from the weight of buildings to over-pumping of groundwater.
Researchers have named a city that is likely to be on the brink of extinction as a result of flooding. This was reported by IFLScience.
In particular, earlier this year, a study using satellite data showed that New York City is sinking relatively quickly – 1-2 millimeters per year. According to scientists, one of the contributing factors is the sheer weight of the city’s tall buildings. They also believe that cities are drowning due to over-pumping of groundwater.
By 2022, the team measured the subsidence rates of 99 coastal cities at risk of flooding, using satellite data collected between 2015 and 2020. They found that in most cities, some of the land was more is weakening faster than sea level rise, meaning these cities may be at risk of flooding sooner than expected.
The team recorded the fastest land subsidence in South, Southeast and East Asia. However, rapid sinking has also been recorded in North America, Europe, Africa and Australia.
Based on the results of the study, scientists also compiled a ranking of the most sinking cities:
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Tianjin, China – sinking at a rate of 5.22 centimeters per year,
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Semarang, Indonesia – sinking at a rate of 3.96 centimeters per year,
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Jakarta – sinking at a rate of 3.44 centimeters per year.
Also, the only American city in the top 10 is Houston, which is sinking at a rate of 1.95 centimeters per year.
However, Mexico City remains the fastest sinking city in the world. A 2021 study found that the city has been sinking at a fairly constant rate of 50 centimeters per year since 1950. The subsidence is not due to groundwater pumping, but due to compaction of the clay-rich lake bed where the city was built.
It was previously reported that Barcelona topped the ranking of the best cities in the world for those who want to combine a vacation with work.
Named the best city to live in
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.