Fastest Sinking Cities in the World, Jakarta is on the List

November 21, 2024 | 02:34 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The pressing issues of climate change have led to some of the world’s major distressing occurrences in recent years, with sinking lands and sea levels rising being particular examples. 

Coastal cities worldwide are faced with an alarming sinking phenomenon called land subsidence, caused by key factors like groundwater pumping, natural movement of the earth, and human development. 

This article discusses which coastal cities are sinking the fastest, thoroughly ranked by the peak subsidence velocity as highlighted by Nature Sustainability and Visual Capitalist. 

5 Fastest Sinking Cities in the World 

Nature Sustainability shared that Tianjin, Ho Chi Minh City, and Chittagong have been experiencing long-standing peak relative local land subsidence (RLLS) velocities between the years 2014 to 2020, meaning these areas are faced with rapid sinking challenges compared to other metropolitan cities. 

Read on to discover the fastest sinking cities in the world below: 

1. Tianjin, China

Battling a myriad of urbanization challenges, booming cities like Shanghai and Tianjin in China have actually seen early signs of land subsidence, traced back to the 1920s. According to the Earth Organization, Tianjin particularly showed subsidence in the 1930s, highlighting groundwater extraction as the primary reason behind it. 

Decades later, in the 1960s, some portions of Tianjin city had reportedly sunk over a meter. The robust urbanization happening in China during the late 20th and early 21st centuries has significantly worsened the sinking cities issues, with interconnected roads, heavy bridges, and towering skyscrapers built atop the growing urban areas as the main triggers. 

2. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 

As per May 2024, Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Construction has reported about 7,200 hectares of land affected by subsidence problems. Areas near rivers and canals have been particularly subject to subsidence at a faster pace. Despite witnessing subsidence of a rate of 10-15mm a year, the government has yet to complete drainage system construction in many districts. 

According to Vietnam News, several high-rise buildings are sinking at an accelerated rate, with some subsiding by 6–8 cm annually. This ongoing issue has contributed to an increase in frequent flash floods throughout the city.

3. Chittagong, Bangladesh

Subsiding nearly 10 times faster than the sea levels rise, Bangladesh’s commercial capital, Chittagong, has been universally known to be one of Asia’s fastest sinking cities. The Prevention Web stated the sinking rate of the city is recorded to be 20 mm per year between 2015 and 2020. 

Industrial’s demand for groundwater extraction and seawater intrusion emerge as the critical problems faced by citizens in Chittagong. 

4. Yangon, Myanmar

Showing peak velocity of 31 mm per year, Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, faces growing challenges of land sinking. Many experts believe that the overexertion of groundwater is the sole cause of subsidence hazards in the city, resulting in the threats of high-magnitude earthquakes. 

5. Jakarta, Indonesia

Jakarta, a metropolis city of Indonesia, completes the list of the fastest sinking cities in the world, assuming peak velocity at 26 mm per year. The rising sea levels have started to inundate some coastal areas, like Jakarta in Indonesia. This concerning phenomenon has led the government to decide to move the capital city from Jakarta to East Kalimantan.

Tempo reported that the Prabowo government will complete infrastructure development for the executive, legislative, and judicial branches in the following years. This development target is not just about building offices but includes supporting housing facilities for civil servants (ASN).

Editor's Choice: City Official Unveils 3 Threats Lead to Jakarta Sinking

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