New York is a dream destination, a skyscraper stronghold and last but not least a coastal city. And that’s exactly why the world metropolis on the US east coast is in danger. New York City is in danger of sinking under the sea, as American researchers have found out in a study. Their findings were published this month in the journal Earth’s Future.
City is sinking because of its weight
New York City is home to 8.4 million people and more than a million buildings. Especially the houses are according to the travel portal «Travelbook» one reason for the constant sagging of the metropolis. The gigantic skyscrapers and other buildings, especially in Manhattan, weigh so much that the landmass groans beneath them. So much so that it drops one to two millimeters every year, in some places even more.
According to the study authors, the buildings in New York City weigh a total of almost 800 million tons, spread over an area of almost 800 square kilometers. Roads, bridges, railroad tracks or parks are not included. According to the study, in addition to weight, the withdrawal of groundwater, natural soil compaction and tectonic effects are general reasons for the sinking of cities.
Sea level rise hits New York particularly hard
The one to two millimeters that the city loses every year doesn’t sound like much at first. But if you consider that New York is on average only ten meters above sea level, things look different. If you add the rise in sea level caused by climate change, it becomes dramatic. “Projected sea level rise poses a clear threat to coastal cities, with an expected rise of 200 to 600 millimeters globally by 2050,” the authors write.
New York is hit particularly hard. “The risk of sea level rise along the Atlantic coast of North America is three to four times higher than the global average,” says the study. The authors predict that the US East Coast metropolis will sink up to one and a half meters in the next 80 years.
Lower Manhattan is mostly just one to two meters above sea level. Unless steps are taken to stop Manhattan from submerging, New York City’s most popular borough could be permanently flooded by the start of the new century.
Come in addition. that in New York there is a particularly high risk of natural disasters. According to the scientists, New York City ranks third in the world for future risks of coastal flooding — due to hurricanes.
2023-05-23 06:52:00
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