The largest city in North America, Mexico City, is sinking at a rapid rate, visible from space.

NASA satellite images have shown that the Mexican metropolis is sinking at a rate of nearly 30 centimeters per year, making it one of the fastest-sinking cities in the world, something that could threaten its foundations, CNN reports.

Due to the combined effects of pumping. of groundwater and extensive urban development, the aquifer, an underground layer of water-bearing material, has dried up to the point of almost complete depletion, leaving the city sinking for more than a century.

Overall, some areas have sunk by hundreds of meters, while significant steepness has been observed in historic buildings such as the Metropolitan Cathedral, whose construction began in 1573.

Researchers measured rate of its sinking, using data from NASA’s satellite, known as NISAR, between October 2025 and January 2026.

Surface subsidence is not the only problem. Experts fear that the shrinking aquifer could also lead to serious water shortages.

In the future, the team hopes to create a picture of the rate of sinking for each individual building, which will provide important information on how to mitigate the damage.

Source: prizrenpost