Indonesia is in the process of relocating their capital city from Jakarta due to its sinking into the Java Sea. But Jakarta isn’t the only city that’s sinking. Houston, Beijing, New Orleans and other cities around the world are on the verge of going underwater.
Rising sea levels and over-extraction of groundwater made Jakarta one of the fastest sinking cities in the world, according to the World Economic Forum. But similar conditions are plaguing other major cities in worldwide locations that we need to also pay more attention to. Swipe through our list below to find out the sinking city nearest you.
Houston, Texas
Houston has been sinking for decades thanks to the over-extraction of groundwater, The Houston Chronicle reports. Parts of Harris County have reportedly sunk between 10 and 12 feet since the 1920s, according to data from the US Geological Survey. Other parts of the popular city have fallen about 2 inches per year with no signs of easing up. Despite lawmakers instilling a district meant to regulate the withdrawal of groundwater in 1975, privately owned wells and water suppliers continue to extract water from aquifers, further fueling the literal decline of the city.
