"The satellite designed by NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization, known as NISAR, was able to capture with unprecedented precision the magnitude and evolution of this phenomenon in different areas of the Mexican capital."
"NASA identified areas with subsidence greater than 2 centimeters per month, while areas marked in yellow and red could correspond to background signals expected to diminish as more data is collected."
"Mexico City sits atop the clay and lake bed of ancient Lake Texcoco, with subsidence caused by intense groundwater pumping and the increasing weight associated with urban development."
"Between the 1900s and 2000s, some areas experienced a drop of nearly 35 centimeters per year, causing damage to infrastructure such as the Metro, one of the largest mass transit systems in the Americas."
Mexico City is one of the fastest sinking cities globally, with nearly 20 million people at risk. NASA's NISAR satellite has confirmed accelerated subsidence, capturing detailed measurements from October 2025 to January. The satellite's findings reveal areas sinking more than 2 centimeters monthly, particularly around Benito Juarez International Airport. This subsidence results from groundwater extraction and urban weight on ancient lake bed soil, a phenomenon documented since 1925, leading to significant infrastructure damage over the years.
Read at WIRED
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