A study has found that New York City is sinking due to the weight of its high-rise buildings. According to the report, the sea level around the US city is gradually rising.
The study, published in the journal Earth’s Future, claimed that the sea level around New York City has been rising more than twice as fast as the global rate. The study projected that the sea level would rise between 8 inches and 30 inches by 2050. In addition, scientists expect more frequent and extreme rainfalls and hurricanes in the region due to the human-induced climate crisis.
There are more than 10 lakh buildings across the five boroughs of New York City that weigh about 1.68 trillion pounds (762 billion kilograms) — equivalent to roughly 1.9 million fully loaded Boeing 747-400s. The researchers used simulation to calculate the effects of this weight on the ground. The analysis revealed that the city is sinking on average about 1 to 2 millimeters, with land subsidence in some areas occurring at the rate of 4.5 mm a year. The research also found some areas of lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens to be sinking at a faster than average rate.
