A third of China’s urban population at danger due to land sinking, finds new study

About a third of China’s urban population is estimated to be at risk due to land subsidence, shows a new finding which researchers said is indicative of a global phenomenon.

China’s urban area below the sea level could triple by 2120, potentially affecting 55 to 128 million residents, it found.

Using satellite data, the research team studied 82 cities, including Shanghai and Beijing, with a collective population of nearly 700 million people.

The team discovered that 45% of the urban land area studied is sinking, with 16% experiencing a rapid rate of subsidence at 10 millimetres per year. Notable hotspots for this phenomenon were identified in Beijing and Tianjin, a coastal city.