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2 clusters · 17 sources · 3 days · First seen · Last updated

Global urban land subsidence research

Overview

A study published in the journal Nature Cities, utilizing satellite data from the Copernicus Sentinel system, has identified widespread land subsidence across 465 cities in 107 countries. The research, conducted by scientists including Shengli Tao and Xie Hu from Peking University, indicates that ground sinking is a growing trend in large urban centers, primarily driven by the overexploitation of underground aquifers for industrial and agricultural use.

Mexico City is highlighted as experiencing some of the most extreme localized subsidence, with certain areas sinking at rates of approximately 217 millimeters or nearly 22 centimeters per year. This rapid descent could result in a total drop of over two meters within a decade, posing critical risks to urban infrastructure such as building foundations, roads, and sewage systems. Other notable cases of subsidence were identified in Torreón, Mexico, as well as in Medan and Bandung, Indonesia, and Isfahan, Iran. While major metropolises like London and New York remain relatively stable, significant elevation loss is occurring across Southeast Asia, West Asia, and North America.

Entities

Mexico City · Torreón · Nature Cities · Shengli Tao · Torrelodones

Timeline

  1. [INTERNATIONAL] 4 sources
    Mexico City faces severe land subsidence according to satellite data

    Satellite data shows extreme land subsidence in some cities, with parts of Mexico City sinking up to 22 centimeters annually, threatening critical urban infrastructure.

  2. [INTERNATIONAL] 13 sources
    Global study identifies rapid land subsidence in major cities

    A Nature Cities study reveals increasing global land subsidence, with Mexico City and Torreón, Mexico, among the most affected due to groundwater overexploitation.

Sources

diariodesevilla.es · diariodetorrejon.es · efeverde.com · elcorreoweb.es · eltiempomx.com · fehmarn24.de · kreiszeitung.de · lalunadealcala.com · levante-emv.com · massinformacion.com.mx · op-online.de · sdpnoticias.com · somoscomarca.es · tz.de · vanguardia.com.mx · vivirediciones.es · web.eldia.es