Mexico City is sinking at an alarming rate due to excessive groundwater extraction. Scientists have warned that parts of the city could face severe structural and environmental consequences if the trend continues.
According to recent findings highlighted by NASA, land subsidence in the region is accelerating as aquifers beneath the city are depleted. The ground beneath the vast metropolis is compressing and collapsing due to a phenomenon caused by decades of excessive water use. Infrastructure is being harmed, and uneven topography is being created as a result of some parts of the city sinking several inches annually.
The city is among the fastest-sinking capitals on Earth, with subsidence rates of more than 0.5 inches per month, according to imagery from a potent NASA radar system.
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Why is Mexico City sinking?
CNN has cited experts who have attributed the crisis primarily to the over-extraction of groundwater from underground aquifers. Relentless urban expansion has made the city's rapid sinking worse by adding more weight to the clay-rich soil with new infrastructure.
{{/usCountry}}CNN has cited experts who have attributed the crisis primarily to the over-extraction of groundwater from underground aquifers. Relentless urban expansion has made the city's rapid sinking worse by adding more weight to the clay-rich soil with new infrastructure.
{{/usCountry}}The soil, which is mostly made of soft clay, loses its structural support and starts to compact when water is pumped out to fulfil the demands of an expanding population.
The issue is compounded by Mexico City’s unique geography. The city is situated on water-saturated sediments that are especially prone to compaction when dried out, having been built on the former lakebed of Lake Texcoco. This has caused the area to become one of the world's fastest-sinking urban areas throughout time.
NASA researchers note that once the ground compresses, the process is largely irreversible, meaning the city cannot regain its original elevation even if water levels are restored. This makes subsidence a long-term challenge with limited mitigation options.
The scope of the issue is brutally revealed by new imagery from the NISAR satellite, a collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization.
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Impact on infrastructure and daily life
The first reports of Mexico City's subsidence date back to the 1920s, and since then, locals have had to deal with the effects, including damaged rail systems, slanted buildings, and broken roadways.
During Mexico City's dry season, from October 2025 to January 2026, NISAR recorded the movement of the ground beneath the metropolis. According to its results, sections of the city are sinking at a pace of almost 0.8 inches per month, or more than 9.5 inches annually.
The city's main airport, Benito Juárez International Airport, is among the areas most impacted.
The effects of sinking are also demonstrated by one city landmark. Constructed in 1910 to mark the 100th anniversary of Mexico's independence, the 114-foot-tall Angel of Independence monument has required the addition of 14 steps to its base due to the sinking land beneath it.