Global study identifies rapid land subsidence in major cities

An international study published in Nature Cities, utilizing satellite data from the Copernicus Sentinel system, has mapped widespread land subsidence across 465 cities in 107 countries. The research, conducted by scientists from Peking University, identifies a growing trend of ground sinking, particularly in large urban centers.

Mexico City exhibits the most extreme localized subsidence, with some areas sinking at a rate of approximately 217 millimeters per year. In Torreón, Mexico, the ground is sinking at an average of 1.7 centimeters annually. Other significant cases of subsidence were identified in Medan and Bandung, Indonesia, and Isfahan, Iran.

The study attributes this phenomenon primarily to the overexploitation of underground aquifers for industrial and agricultural use. When water extraction exceeds natural recharge rates, the subsoil compacts, leading to gradual surface descent. This subsidence poses significant risks to urban infrastructure, including building fissures, road fractures, and damage to drainage networks.