Major coastal cities around the world are sinking at rates that are faster than the rise in sea levels, according to a recent study published in Nature Sustainability. The research looked at 48 large cities affected by subsidence, a process where the ground surface gradually sinks due to human activities such as the heavy weight of buildings and the over-extraction of groundwater. The study found that 44 of these cities are sinking faster than the sea level is rising, making them more prone to flooding and other climate-related risks. Most of the cities at the highest risk of disappearing due to subsidence are located in Asia. Tianjin in China, home to 14 million people, has the highest subsidence rate in the world, sinking as much as 43 millimeters each year. In June 2023, large cracks appeared on the city’s roads, which experts linked to the collapse of underground cavities caused by the sinking ground. Similarly, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, with a population of 9 million, experiences subsidence at nearly the same rate, around 43 millimeters annually. Other cities with significant subsidence include Chittagong in Bangladesh (up to 37 mm per year), Yangon in Myanmar (up to 31 mm per year), Jakarta in Indonesia (up to 26 mm per year), Ahmedabad in India (up to 23 mm per year), Istanbul in Turkey (up to 19 mm per year), Houston, Texas (up to 17 mm per year), Lagos in Nigeria (up to 17 mm per year), and Manila in the Philippines (up to 17 mm per year). Mexico City is sinking at an alarming rate of 50 centimeters per year and could lose up to 30 meters of ground in the coming decades, which could lead to serious issues like groundwater contamination and damage to infrastructure. Although subsidence was largely overlooked 40 years ago, advances in satellite technology now allow scientists to monitor and measure land sinking with greater accuracy. Experts warn that without changes in urban planning—such as constructing lighter buildings and raising the ground with new sediments—these cities could face significant risks in the next few decades. While European and French coasts are also affected by subsidence, the rates are much slower, ranging between 0.5 and 1 mm per year, compared to the much higher rates observed in parts of Asia, Africa, and the United States.