“The Impact of Skyscrapers on NYC’s Sinking Neighborhoods”

They are also harmed by heavy constructions that literally push the settlement deeper into the ground. Joint measurements by the US Geological Survey and the University of Rhode Island have revealed that the weight of New York’s giant skyscrapers causes five neighborhoods to sink by one to two millimeters per year. The team analyzed the impact of 1,084,954 buildings, including more than 6,000 skyscrapers, on the bedrock beneath the metropolis. The total weight of the buildings is 764,000,000,000 kilograms, and this proved to be too much of a burden. The urban area, especially the coastal parts, is constantly sinking and getting closer to sea level, and the sea level is also rising, bringing closer the moment when the two will meet.

While a few millimeters doesn’t sound catastrophic, in reality some parts of the city are sinking faster than others. Among them are Staten Island and Brooklyn. Residents of both districts will be able to feel the consequences with each stronger storm – seawater will reach deeper and deeper into the city and cover the streets with a thicker flood layer. Another factor that could exacerbate the problem is groundwater drainage and pumping. The empty “abbots” accelerate the compaction of the land and the settlement of the city lower and lower, the portal reports Dailymail.com.