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Will it meet the fate of Atlantis? Huge city in the Americas is sinking 30 centimeters a year
🇬🇷 Greece /Environment & Climate

Will it meet the fate of Atlantis? Huge city in the Americas is sinking 30 centimeters a year

From Ta Nea · (8m ago) Greek Critical tone

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Mexico City, North America's largest metropolis, is sinking at an alarming rate of up to 30 centimeters per year, a phenomenon now visible from space.
  • Satellite data from NASA's NISAR satellite reveals that parts of the city are sinking as much as 2 centimeters per month, causing significant damage to critical infrastructure like the metro and water systems.
  • The sinking is attributed to intensive groundwater extraction and extensive urban development on the city's ancient lakebed, a problem that has persisted for over a century and is causing buildings to tilt and even collapse.

Mexico City, a sprawling megalopolis grappling with its unique geological challenges, is facing a critical threat: the ground beneath it is sinking at an unprecedented rate. Recent satellite data from NASA's NISAR mission has brought this alarming reality into sharp focus, revealing that parts of the city are subsiding by as much as 30 centimeters annually. This phenomenon, visible even from space, places Mexico City among the fastest-sinking cities globally and raises serious concerns about the stability of its foundations.

The root of this crisis lies in the city's historical foundation – built upon an ancient lakebed. Decades of intensive groundwater extraction to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population, coupled with relentless urban expansion, have depleted the water table. This has caused the soft clay soil beneath the city to compact and sink. The consequences are already severe, with critical infrastructure such as the metro system, sewage networks, and water supply lines suffering extensive damage. Homes are collapsing, and even historic structures, like the Metropolitan Cathedral, show visible signs of tilting.

It is a very serious problem.

— Enrique CabralA geophysics researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico commenting on the sinking city.

While international media like the Associated Press and ABC News have reported on the sinking, the local perspective in Mexico City is one of deep concern and a long-standing struggle. For residents, this is not a new revelation but an escalating crisis that directly impacts their daily lives and the city's future. The NISAR data, while providing a stark visual confirmation, underscores the urgency of addressing this issue. The challenge is immense: how to manage a megacity built on a precarious foundation, balancing development needs with environmental sustainability and the safety of its millions of inhabitants. The city's resilience is being tested as it confronts the very ground it stands on.

It is essentially the documentation of all these changes within a city. You can see the full scale of the problem.

— Paul RosenNISAR scientist commenting on the satellite data's ability to track the city's subsidence.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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