Land subsidence to hit 19L in 5 top cities

Nearly 900 square kilometres of land across five megacities in India, including Delhi-NCR, could be subsiding, exposing 19 lakh people to subsidence rates of more than four millimetres a year, a study has estimated.

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Researchers, including those from the US’ Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, analysed satellite data gathered from 2015 to 23 and found over 2,400 buildings are already at high risk of structural damage.

Land subsidence can compound threats from flooding and earthquakes. When the ground beneath a city sinks unevenly, it can weaken foundations, damage utility lines, and amplify structural vulnerability, they said.