Sinking into the abyss: the giant city disappearing at a dizzying rate and visible from space

New satellite data from NASA and the Indian Space Research Agency reveal that Mexico City is sinking at a rate of about 50 centimeters per year due to excessive groundwater extraction. The ground could collapse by another 30 meters, causing cracks in buildings, infrastructure collapse, and damage to historical monuments such as a 16th-century cathedral.

New and alarming satellite data from NASA and the Indian Space Research Agency, collected as part of the NISAR mission between October 2025 and January 2026, reveal the extent of Mexico City's sinking. The vast metropolis, home to about 20 million residents, is sinking at a dizzying rate of about 50 centimeters per year. The main cause is massive over-extraction of groundwater from underground aquifers beneath the ancient lakebed on which the city was built. The depletion of reservoirs leads to compression and gradual collapse of the soft ground. Since systematic measurements began in 1925, certain parts of the city have already sunk by more than 12 meters, and scientists warn that the city could sink by up to an additional 30 meters. The consequences are evident throughout the metropolis: deep cracks tear buildings, sewage pipes break, and the remaining groundwater reservoirs face contamination risks. The base of the "Angel of Independence" monument was raised by 14 steps to match the sinking ground, and the foundations of the historic cathedral from 1573 were reinforced and thickened after the structure began to tilt. The new satellite collaboration via NISAR provides for the first time a high-resolution radar-based monitoring tool, and scientists hope the data will enable data-driven decision-making for water resource management and reduction of extraction.