Imagine your city slowly sinking into the ground—sounds like a disaster movie, right? But for millions of Americans, this is becoming a frightening reality. A recent study warns that major US cities, including New York, Houston, and Washington DC, are experiencing dangerous land subsidence, putting 34 million people at risk.
The research, published in Nature Cities, used satellite data to track land movement between 2015 and 2021. The results were alarming: Houston is sinking the fastest, but other major urban areas aren’t far behind. The primary cause? Over-pumping of groundwater, which collapses underground layers and causes the surface to drop.
Leonard Ohenhen, a lead researcher, described the issue as a “silent but powerful force” reshaping cities. “It’s not just about flooding,” he said. “Sinking land weakens roads, bridges, and buildings, making them more vulnerable to damage.”
Coastal cities face an even bigger threat, as sinking land combines with rising sea levels to worsen flooding. The study urges policymakers to act now—before entire neighborhoods become uninhabitable.
