WION Explains | New York, the city that never sleeps, may soon lie in slumber under the sea

New York Citymay soon sink under the sea predicts a new research. The city is sinking due to the weight of its towering skyscrapers. Coupled with the rising sea levels, this weight is pushing New York under at an average rate of 1-2 millimetres per year; some areas are sinking at twice this rate.Since 1950, the water surrounding New York City has risen by approximately 9 inches (22 centimetres).The rising water levels are a loomingthreat tothe8.4 million people of the city.

Researchers behind the study published in the Earth’s Future journal warn that "a deeply concentrated population of 8.4 million people faces varying degrees of hazard from inundation in New York City."

Why is New York sinking?

Add WION as a Preferred Source

New York's iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, or rather their weight, are causing the cityto sink.

As per the research estimates, New York City's buildings, including iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, weigh a total of 1.68 trillion pounds — equivalent to the weight of 140 million elephants. This enormous weight pushes down on a mixture of different materials beneath the city, causing it to sink just a little bit every year.

It says that while the city's largest buildings are constructed on solid bedrock, such as schist, the ground beneath also contains a mixture of sand and clays. This mixture contributes to the natural sinking occurring along much of the US east coast as the land adjusts to the retreat of glaciers following the last ice age.

Were the iconic buildings a mistake?

Tom Parsons, a geophysicist at the US Geological Survey, and lead author of the research emphasisedthat constructing large buildings in New York was not a mistake, but it is essential to consider that each new construction further compresses the ground.

He said that the softer the soil, the more the buildings compress it.

Parsonsexplains that while there is no immediate cause for panic, the ongoing sinking process increases the vulnerability to flooding.

"It’s not something to panic about immediately, but there’s this ongoing process that increases the risk of inundation from flooding."

Is it just New York that risks sinking?

No, the threat exists for all the coastal cities worldwide.

Researchers caution that it's not just New York that faces this danger. The risks, as per the authors, will be shared by many other coastal cities around the world as the climate crisis deepens.

They assert that the combination of tectonic and human-induced subsidence, along with other factors, all indicate a growing danger for coastal and riverfront regions.

"The combination of tectonic and anthropogenic subsidence, sea level rise, and increasing hurricane intensity imply an accelerating problem along coastal and riverfront areas."

Any previous research to support this?

A March 2022 studyindicated that India's financial capital Mumbai,with a population of approximately 20 million, is experiencing a gradual sinking at an average rate of 2 mm per year.

The research, titled "Subsidence in Coastal Cities Throughout the World," highlighted that it is not just Mumbai.

As per the study,Tianjin, located in China, holds the distinction of being the fastest-sinking coastal city worldwide, with a subsidence rate of 5.2 cm per year.

Apart from Tianjin and Mumbai, the study examined land subsidence in 99 countries around the world. It identified additional coastal cities experiencing sinking, such as Jakarta in Indonesia (3.44 cm per year), Shanghai in China (2.94 cm per year), and Ho Chi Minh (2.81 mm per year) and Hanoi (2.44 cm per year) in Vietnam.

How is climate change causing these decades-old cities to sink?

The sinking, as per the study, is intensified bythe impact of sea level rise, which is already occurring at approximately twice the global average due to the melting of glaciers and the expansion of seawater caused by global warming.

The research warns that by the end of the century, major flooding events from storms could occur up to four times more frequently due to the combined effects of sea level rise and climate change-fuelled hurricanes.

Are there any examples of how global warming is exacerbating the problem in New York?

In 2012 and then in 2021, New York City has already experienced the devastating impacts of flooding.

Hurricane Sandy in 2012 caused extensive damage and power outages, including flooding in the New York subway system. In 2021, Hurricane Ida led to further flooding and loss of life in the city.

Scientists have attributed the severity of both these disasters to the damning effects of global warming.

How can we protect iconic cities like New York and Mumbai?

As per Parsons, proactiveplanning is the way. He stressed that proactive planning is important for New York and other coastal cities. He said that vulnerable cities "have to get planning for this. If you get repeated exposure to seawater, you can corrode steel and destabilise buildings, which you clearly don’t want. Flooding also kills people, too, which is probably the greatest concern."

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.