As groundwater supplies are drained to meet the needs of growing populations, some cities are sinking. The problem has been building for decades, but experts say human activity is making it worse — and raising the stakes for people living in flood-prone urban areas.
What's Happening?
As detailed by Randy Mann for the Coeur d'Alene Press, the issue is known as land subsidence, or the gradual sinking of the ground. It is affecting major cities worldwide as underground aquifers are depleted. Natural geology can play a role, but heavy groundwater pumping, rapid urban development, and worsening drought conditions are accelerating the process.
Jakarta is among the starkest examples. According to the report, parts of Indonesia's capital have dropped more than 6 feet in recent decades because many residents depend on underground wells where piped water is scarce, draining aquifers and causing the land above to give way.
Mexico City is facing a similar crisis. The city sits on the former Lake Texcoco lakebed, where pumping water compresses the soft clay below. In some areas, the ground falls several inches a year, and some sections are estimated to have sunk almost 32 feet over about 60 years.
Other well-known examples include Venice, New Orleans, Bangkok, and Shanghai.
Why Is It Concerning?
When cities sink, the damage goes far beyond cracked roads. Subsidence can harm buildings, pipelines, and historic structures while also making neighborhoods more vulnerable to storms, tidal flooding, and heavy rain.
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That danger is especially severe in low-lying coastal cities. In Jakarta, flooding during high tides and rainstorms has become more intense. In New Orleans, where much of the city already lies below sea level, subsidence adds to the risks posed by hurricanes and sea-level rise.
The economic cost can also be enormous. Repairs to roads, water systems, and buildings can strain public budgets, while repeated flooding can disrupt businesses and displace families.
For everyday residents, subsidence can mean more frequent flood worries, home damage, and growing uncertainty about whether city infrastructure can keep up with a shifting landscape.
What Can Be Done To Help?
Some cities are trying to slow the damage by targeting one of the biggest drivers: groundwater overuse. According to Mann, stricter groundwater rules and monitoring have helped slow Shanghai's subsidence, while Thailand has also moved to regulate groundwater use in Bangkok.
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In Venice, the MOSE flood barrier has reduced flooding in recent years, though the city remains vulnerable to erosion and rising water levels. In Indonesia, the long-term threat to Jakarta has become so serious that, as Mann noted, the government has started moving the national capital to a new city, Nusantara.
The bigger fix will likely require cities to expand reliable water systems, curb unsustainable groundwater pumping, and invest in flood protection before the ground drops further beneath millions of people.
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