Wednesday May 24, 2023
New York City faces an urgent problem as a recent study reveals that the cumulative weight of its buildings is causing the city to decline.
The consequences of this gradual sinking are particularly worrisome for a city that is experiencing sea level rise at a rate more than twice the global average. By 2050, sea levels around New York are projected to rise 8 to 30 inches, further exacerbating the challenges posed by the phenomenon of diving.
In addition, scientists predict that the human-induced climate crisis will lead to more frequent and intense precipitation events, including Easters and hurricanes.
Tom Parsons, the study's lead author and a research geophysicist at the US Geological Survey, noted, “We're so far from the ocean, we just move in... But we've had some big hurricane events with Sandy and Ida. in New York, where heavy rains caused flooding in the city and some of the effects of urbanization allowed water to come in."
The study, published in the journal Earth's Future, aims to shed light on the potential future flood risks associated with high-rise buildings located in coastal, river or lake areas. The researchers emphasize the importance of mitigating the dangerous impacts that may occur.
To determine the rate of sinking, the study team calculated the combined weight of 1,084,954 buildings in the five boroughs of New York City to be approximately 1.68 trillion pounds (762 billion kilograms) — equivalent to the weight of roughly 1.9 million fully loaded Boeing 747-400s .
Using simulations and satellite data, scientists evaluated the effects of this mass on the earth. They found an average sinking rate of 1 to 2 millimeters per year, with certain areas experiencing subsidence of up to 4.5 millimeters per year. Subsidence, also known as subsidence, is affected by various factors such as construction on soft soils, artificial fill, and postglacial relaxation.
The study highlights that subsidence may pose a threat of flooding even before the effects of sea level rise become significant. The problem extends beyond New York City, with a number of coastal and inland cities facing land subsidence issues around the world.
To address the risks associated with urban subsidence, it is essential to understand the effects of urban construction loads on coastal land subsidence and to identify vulnerable areas. As one of the most densely populated coastal areas in the world, New York City must understand the changing landscape, assess vulnerability to flooding, and make the necessary preparations to mitigate future sea level rise.
