New York City is collapsing. Researchers sound the alarm
Cloud scrapers are an integral part of New York City. However, as it turns out, the undisputed symbol of the city may lead to its disaster. For researchers are warning that one of the world’s most populous metropolises is gradually collapsing.
New York is the largest city in the United States in terms of population and also one of the most populous places in the world. As of 2021, the “Big Apple,” as New York is commonly called, had a population of 8.8 million.
Although the American metropolis is regarded as a veritable paradise to live in, the coming years do not promise anything good for its residents. Researchers are sounding the alarm and warning that New York — due to its enormous mass — is beginning to collapse. Particularly at risk are the boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.
New York is collapsing — researchers warn
New York City is collapsing, the overseas media are warning. A few days ago, an article entitled “The Weight of New York City: Possible Contributions to Subsidence From Anthropogenic Sources” appeared in the journal Earth’s Future. In it, scientists from the University of Rhode Island and the U.S. Geological Survey came to a disturbing conclusion.
According to oceanographers and geologists, the largest city in the United States has reached such a large mass that it is beginning to collapse. This was due primarily to the huge buildings that New York is famous for.
“We calculated the mass of all buildings in New York City and created a model of their settlement caused by the pressure they exert on the ground,” the report reads.
As the study’s authors point out, the geodetic measurements taken indicate that the average rate of subsidence in the city is as much as 1–2 mm per year. However, the researchers point out that “there are differences in the rate of collapse of specific parts of it.” Particularly vulnerable are residents of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, neighborhoods located at the mouth of the Hudson River and the Atlantic Ocean
The culprit for such a turn of events is not only the huge mass of New York’s skyscrapers. There are also natural factors, such as tectonic movements, but above all the negative human impact on the environment.
New York’s over-urbanization and greenhouse gas emissions, especially in its eastern part, make the American metropolis vulnerable to an increasing number of disasters. The 2012 and 2021 hurricanes caused severe damage in the city. To make matters worse, according to published studies, more than 90% of buildings built in recent years do not meet flood standards. That’s why the report is especially intended to draw the attention of the authorities there, who are downplaying the problem.
Will other cities be flooded?
It is not impossible that the fate of New York will be shared by other cities around the world. Climate Central, an environmental and climate change organization, has created an interactive map from which we can learn what could happen to agglomerations inhabited by millions of people in a few decades.
The map shows that Tokyo, Shanghai, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Venice and Miami, among others, could disappear under water by 2050. If the speculations turn out to be true, their homes will have to leave even approx. 100 million people.
“These results show the potential for climate change to transform coastlines, cities, economies and entire regions over our lifetimes,” emphasizes Dr. Scott Kulp of Climate Central.
However, the map’s authors emphasize that there is a risk of making a mistake. Therefore, the forecasts are worth considering as a kind of warning for future generations.
Source: Earth’s Future
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