"Study Reveals Rapid Sinking of East Coast Cities Including New York and Washington"
A recent study published in PNAS Nexus reveals that critical infrastructure along the US East Coast is at risk due to land subsidence, with areas sinking by several millimeters annually, exacerbating the threat of sea-level rise. This subsidence, caused by factors such as sediment settling and groundwater extraction, affects millions of people and properties, with infrastructure like levees, roads, and railways also at risk. Differential subsidence, where different areas sink at varying rates, poses a particular threat to the structural integrity of buildings and infrastructure. The study emphasizes the urgent need for detailed data and improved groundwater management to mitigate the risks and costs associated with subsidence.