Almost half of China's largest cities are slowly sinking under water due to ground subsidence.
Chinese and American researchers have concluded that 82 major cities in China are prone to subsidence with moderate to severe intensity. This phenomenon increases the risk of flooding for local residents.
Scientists used satellite data and the method of space radar interferometry to analyze changes in the height of urban landscapes from 2015 to 2022.
The researchers found that 45% of China's urban areas are sinking faster than three millimeters per year, and 16% are sinking at a rate of more than 10 millimeters per year. These changes affect a significant part of the country's population.
Among the major cities affected by subsidence, Shanghai stands out in particular. It has already dropped by about three meters over the past hundred years. The cities of Beijing and Tianjin are also experiencing serious problems with subsidence.
Subsidence in China is caused not only by excessive groundwater abstraction, but also by other factors such as the weight of buildings. Scientists warn that by the year 2120, the relative height of the country's coastal zones may be below sea level, which will create additional risks and challenges for society, naked-science.ru reports.
Alex Shishlo for Rough&Polished
