The identity of New York City is defined by its various tall buildings, which range from significant landmarks in the Financial District to luxury houses on Billionaires Row. However, according to recent research, the weight of these structures, which add to the citys magnificence, may be causing it to sink.Findings of the studyA group of oceanologists from the University of Rhode Island partnered with a researcher from the US Geological Survey, and the results of their study were published in the scholarly journal Earths Future. They started by assuming that the total weight of New Yorks buildings is around 1.68 trillion pounds. They then computed the downward force produced by these buildings on the underneath clay, sand, and silt mixture that makes up the majority of the citys ground.Image: PixabayAccording to their method, New York has an average subsidence rate (sinking) of one to two millimetres each year. Certain neighbourhoods, however, such as Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, are at a greater risk of sinking. The scientists point out that much of lower Manhattan is only one to two metres above sea level, which could worsen the consequences of climate change. Although one to two millimetres each year may appear tiny, the experts warn that this amount is enough to cause big issues for large coastal towns in the future.Potential consequencesBased on the study, this annual collapse might significantly magnify the impact of major weather events such as Hurricane Sandy, which caused major flooding in New York. Additionally, research indicates that the frequency of hurricanes may increase as a result of greenhouse gas emissions. Also, the Atlantic coast of North America is particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise. As a result, this sinking problem plays a small but crucial role in a broader, more serious scenario.Image: TwitterThe report finishes by emphasising the need to employ coastal flooding mitigation techniques. The authors, however, imply informally that New Yorks developers are not appropriately addressing the issue of rising floods. They point out that New York City ranks third in the world in terms of future assets vulnerable to coastal flooding, and a vast majority of structures in the expanded post-Hurricane Sandy flood risk areas do not meet floodplain standards.
