Land subsidence expands across 30 provinces in Iran

Land subsidence has expanded across 30 provinces in Iran, with all provinces except Gilan documenting the phenomenon. Ali Beitollahi, head of the seismology and vulnerability section at the Research Center for Roads, Housing and Urban Development, reports that the subsidence zone in southwest Tehran has expanded to approximately 25 to 30 percent over the last two years.

In Isfahan, the subsidence zone has increased by 20 percent, while in Mashhad, the zone has expanded toward the city center. The primary driver remains the excessive extraction of groundwater, exacerbated by agricultural expansion, industrial growth, and rising population demands.

Iran ranks third globally in terms of groundwater resource deficits, following China and Indonesia, and third in the total area of subsidence zones, following China and the United States. While a subsidence rate of 4 millimeters per year is considered a crisis in developed nations, some Iranian plains experience rates exceeding 40 centimeters annually. Specific regions such as Marvdasht in Fars province, home to Persepolis, face subsidence rates of approximately 22 centimeters per year, threatening historical heritage sites.