Half of China’s major cities are sinking: researchers [Video]

Nearly half of China’s major cities are suffering “moderate to severe” levels of subsidence, putting millions of people at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise, according to a study of nationwide satellite data released on Friday.

The authors of the paper, published by the journal Science, found 45 per cent of China’s urban land was sinking faster than three millimeters per year, with 16 per cent at more than 10 mm per year, driven not only by declining water tables but also the sheer weight of the built environment.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

• Follow the CTV News channel on WhatsApp

• Top headlines on Canadian politics, all in one place

With China’s urban population already in excess of 900 million people, “even a small portion of subsiding land in China could therefore translate into a substantial threat to urban life,” said the team of researchers led by Ao Zurui of the South China Normal …