Deserted dystopia: Chinese city evacuated after cracks appear near high-rises

The Chinese city of Tianjin in the northern part of the country is wearing a deserted look these days. Thousands of people have left the city or been evacuated from the high-rise apartment buildings after land collapses created large cracks in nearby streets. 

Calling the incident a "sudden geological disaster", the Tianjin government in its initial inquiries found that the cracks were caused by underground cavities below a depth of 1,300 metres. 

According to a Reuters report, as of last week (June 3), a total of 3,899 residents from at least three 25-floor high-rise buildings were evacuated to nearby hotels. 

It was on May 31 that the cracks as wide as a fist first appeared on roads near residential complexes, 

"The situation is very rare," the city officials said when questioned about the developing situation at the time. 

Some geological experts asserted that the possibility "cannot be ruled out that the drilling activities of geothermal wells" may have encountered "deep geological structures, resulting in shallow soil erosion and subsequent phenomena such as ground subsidence in the affected area". 

"From May 31st to June 2nd, the initial development of ground subsidence was rapid, with varying degrees of impact on high-rise buildings along the street," read a Global Times report. 

After the buildings were evacuated, the authorities implemented a series of measures, including grouting, through which the subsidence of the ground and the high-rise buildings was slowed down significantly. 

The city has reportedly invited 20 experts from the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Emergency Management and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. Additionally, more than 10 teams across mapping, monitoring, housing appraisal, and architectural design verticals from Beijing, Shanghai and Hebei have also been invited to carry out on-site monitoring work.

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The news of an entire city or town facing grave geographical threats has been the theme of the year. Earlier in January, a spiritual town named Joshimath in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand witnessed land subsidence, forcing thousands to abandon their ancestral homes and leave for safer pastures.

Last month residents of Joshimath, who were displaced, took out a protest to attract the government's attention to the issue.