8 High-Risk Cities That Are Sinking At An Alarming Rate

Global warming is real and it’s effects are being felt in many countries across the world. We’ve all witnessed this in recent years. Natural calamities such as flooding seem to be getting worse – plus they’re happening more frequently.

Of course, some areas are more vulnerable to flooding than others. Such can be said about these 8 cities, which have been mentioned by experts as among those that are experiencing severe flood because of their sinking rate.

#1. Houston

Case in point, an MNN feature described Houston’s topography as “naturally precarious” mainly because of rising sea levels.

To make matters worse, a lot of people are always affected whenever floods strike since the Houston is the fourth city with the biggest population in the United States.

According to reports, the region of Houston-Galveston has “sunk a total of 105.9 inches over the decades” so that’s really alarming. Moreover, the city’s northwestern area sinks about 2 inches every year.

The website further tells us that the Houston-Galveston region “has sunk a total of 105.9 inches over the decades” with the city’s northwestern sections sinking “at a rate of roughly 2 inches per year.”

#2. Jakarta

In 2018, a BBC report has named Jakarta as the “fastest-sinking city in the world” as it sinks about 10 inches (25 centimeters) every year in some areas. The same article tells us that experts are actually expecting that around 95% of the city’s northern area “will be submerged” by 2050 if no action is taken.

That, of course, is a terrible news considering that Jakarta has a population of over 10 million people.

#3. Bangkok

Meanwhile, over at Thailand, its capital city is likewise facing serious flooding problems as it sinks a little under an inch each year. To put it plainly, Bangkok is “already largely under sea level,” said Greenpeace’ Tara Buakamsri.

The situation is even made worse by the towering skyscrapers so it looks like the sinking rate wouldn’t be stopped anytime soon.

#4. London

London’s problem with sinking can be blamed to several factors, namely water extraction and poor planning. Moreover, climate change is making matters worse as the biggest “threat multiplier,” said Dr Kat Kramer of Christian Aid.

On top of that, it could likewise be said that the city’s sinking is “a result of the weight of the glaciers pressing down on Scotland 11,000 years ago,” Kramer added.

#5. Shanghai

Similar to other cities on this list, the weight of modern structures and excessive water extraction are making Shanghai sink as the weight of massive buildings drags the city down. The problem also isn’t getting any better because of water extraction. The good thing about it, however, is that they’re doing something to address the concern.

According to a World Economic Forum report, China’s biggest city (and also one of the world’s most flood-prone cities) built huge protective seawalls spanning across Hangzhou Bay and encircling Changxing, Chongming, and Hengsha. They’re also utilizing mechanical gates to minimize the river overflow.

#6. Manila

One of the worst floods to ever hit Manila happened in 2009 when Typhoon Ketsana (local name Ondoy) submerged the Philippine capital, along with different parts of Luzon, causing the country over a billion dollar in damages.

Fast forward to the present and the sad reality is that Manila is still at great risk as it sinks rapidly at about 4 inches every year.

#7. Lagos

Another city that’s suffering from rising seas because of groundwater extraction and saturated drainage systems is Lagos. According to Kramer, “a sea level rise of 20cm could cause 740,000 people to lose their homes” across the country.

The largest city in Nigeria, Lagos has an estimated population of 21 million and is listed as the 10th most vulnerable coastal city, a Medium report said.

#8. Dhaka

One of the world’s most densely populated cities, Bangladeshi capital Dhaka has been labeled as a “dysfunctional megacity” in Guardian article. It also often makes it to the top spot of “least liveable cities” because of its problems.