
A NASA-led study found that parts of San Francisco and the surrounding coastline are slowly sinking due to land subsidence. Using satellite radar data collected between 2015 and 2023, researchers discovered that some areas are dropping by more than 0.4 inches per year, in some cases faster than sea levels are rising. This is mainly caused by groundwater extraction, soil compaction, and the instability of land built on reclaimed wetlands.
This gradual sinking increases the risk of flooding and could make the effects of rising sea levels much worse over time. Scientists warn that by 2050, the combined impact of sinking land and ocean rise could significantly threaten infrastructure and coastal communities. However, the process is slow and happening over decades, not an immediate collapse.
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