Research: New York City Is Collapsing

The city of New York is steadily collapsing. According to a recent research, the city is sinking at an average pace of 1 to 2 millimeters each year due to the weight of its tall buildings, streets, and inhabitants. We refer to the sinking as “subsidence.” The natural process of ground compression occurs everywhere. However, the research, which was published in the May issue of Earth’s Future, aimed to quantify the extent to which the massive weight of the city is accelerating the process. The city’s five boroughs are home to more over a million buildings. The total weight of all those structures, according to the research team, is around 1.5 trillion metric tons of metal, glass, and concrete. That is equivalent to 4,700 Empire State buildings’ mass.

There are variations in the city’s pace of compression. The majority of the towering buildings in Midtown Manhattan, or skyscrapers, are constructed on rock, which compresses very little. However, the study found that some areas of central Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens are sinking more quickly due to looser soil. Parts of the city will eventually be under water, even if the process is taking time, according to Tom Parsons. He is the U.S. Geological Survey’s principal researcher. The issue is exacerbated by the rising sea level. “The water is rising and the ground is sinking. Those two floors will eventually intersect, according to Parsons. Parsons and his research team used mathematical computations, data modeling, and satellite photography to arrive at their conclusions.

Parsons stated that the borough’s substantial weight puts Manhattan at danger. “It is extremely close to the waterline, with an average elevation of just 1 or 2 meters above sea level in the southern part of the island, which is very concerning.” The rate at which the land is sinking and the ocean rising is equal. Thus, the rate at which some portions of the metropolis submerge could be accelerated by the Earth’s shifting climate. Parsons remarked, “It doesn’t mean that we should stop building buildings.” “The intention was to draw attention to this before it becomes a more significant issue.” Huge storms are already putting New York City at risk of floods.