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Ground subsidence in China: Huge cities are sinking
Discover the alarming effects of the land subsidence phenomenon in Chinese cities, especially on the coast. What consequences does this have for the population? Read more!
Ground subsidence in China: Huge cities are sinking
The ground beneath many Chinese cities is steadily sinking, raising the risk of flooding in the country's populous coastal regions. According to a research team published in the journal Science, almost half of China's urban areas, 45 percent, are experiencing subsidence of more than three millimeters per year. In 16 percent of these areas, the subsidence is even more than ten millimeters per year, with the megacity Beijing also being severely affected.
Shanghai is also in particular focus, where areas of the city have sunk by up to three meters in the last century. Significant results were achieved by evaluating satellite measurements in 82 major Chinese cities with 74 percent of the urban population between 2015 and 2022. About a third of the population of these cities, a total of 920 million people, are affected by ground subsidence of more than three millimeters, of which 270 million live on sinking ground.
In the long term, the combination of land subsidence and sea level rise in China's densely populated coastal regions may result in around a quarter of the areas below sea level sinking over the next hundred years. This poses a significant risk of flooding for large population groups, in addition to direct damage to buildings, infrastructure and sewage systems. Measures such as increased monitoring and control of groundwater extraction as well as more sustainable water management are therefore necessary to stabilize the subsidence rate and minimize possible damage.
Land subsidence in Chinese cities is mainly caused by groundwater extraction and the weight of buildings. China's rapid urban growth and massive urban expansion in recent decades have exacerbated the problem. There are already increasing reports of subsidence-related disasters, which cause hundreds of deaths and injuries as well as considerable economic damage in China every year. However, the phenomenon of land subsidence is not limited to China, but also affects many other parts of the world that face similar challenges.