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New NASA satellite data shows Mexico City sinking 24 cm per year. Understand how aquifer depletion is changing the metropolis’s landscape.
The ground beneath one of the largest metropolises in the world is subsiding at a rate that can now be monitored with millimeter precision by space radars. Data collected between late 2025 and early 2026 by the NISAR satellite, a result of cooperation between NASA and India (ISRO), reveals that Mexico City is sinking about 2 centimeters every 30 days in its most critical points.
The phenomenon, which has already accumulated a subsidence of over 12 meters in less than a century, is caused by the compaction of earth layers after the intensive extraction of water from underground reservoirs to supply the region’s 22 million inhabitants.
Space technology monitors Mexico City sinking
The severity of the ground collapse was mapped by advanced L-band and S-band sensors, capable of detecting surface variations even through dense vegetation.
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This new subsidence map (a term that designates the sinking of the ground) highlights dark blue patches over neighborhoods where the ground sinks more than 24 centimeters annually.
On the other hand, the NISAR mission is not only for urban purposes; it also monitors the melting of polar ice caps and the state of global forests.
In the Mexican case, the technology confirmed that the subsidence is not uniform, more strongly affecting areas built on soft sediments of ancient lakes.
Thus, the satellite has become a vital tool for identifying which infrastructures are at imminent risk of severe structural damage due to ground instability.
The paradox of the steps and the lacustrine heritage
The capital’s architecture is the most evident reflection that Mexico City is continuously sinking.
An emblematic example is the Angel of Independence monument, on Paseo de la Reforma, inaugurated in 1910.
While the column remains stable by being fixed in deep layers, the surrounding ground has sunk so much that, over the years, it was necessary to build 14 extra steps for the population to continue having access to the base of the structure.
Furthermore, the crisis scenario is a direct reflection of the region’s geographical past:
- Foundation on water: The city occupies the ancient dry bed of lakes, such as Texcoco and Chalco.
- Extinct canals: Streets in the historic center were once navigable canals.
- Ecosystems at risk: Remaining wetlands, such as Lake Nabor Carrillo, still shelter the axolotl, a species threatened by soil degradation.
- Irreversible compaction: As water is extracted from the aquifer for consumption, the soil compresses and loses its original volume.
Historic monuments and infrastructure under threat
The effects of subsidence spare neither cultural heritage nor essential services.
The Metropolitan Cathedral, whose construction dates back to the 16th century, already exhibits inclinations that can be noticed by any visitor.
Furthermore, strategic points for the economy and transportation, such as the city’s main airport, also figure among the highest-risk areas detected by NASA’s radars.
Groundwater extraction creates a dangerous cycle: the more the city grows, the greater the water demand, and consequently, the faster the ground subsides.
Therefore, the chronic water crisis faced by Mexicans is not just a matter of scarcity, but a direct threat to the physical integrity of buildings and transportation systems.
The latest data from the NISAR satellite, obtained between October 2025 and January 2026, serves as a final warning for the need for drastic changes in urban planning.
In addition to exposing the fragility of the soil, the images highlight that current water management is unsustainable in the long term.
Meanwhile, technology continues to provide support for engineers and geologists to try and predict where the next cracks will occur in water pipes or subway tracks.
With information from g1
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