The Rapid Sinking of This City Can Be Seen From Space

Key Points:

• Mexico City is experiencing severe land subsidence due to a contracting aquifer, causing damage to critical infrastructure including the subway, drainage, potable water systems, housing, and streets.
• Some areas, such as the main airport and the Angel of Independence monument, are sinking at a rate of 0.78 inches per month, equating to about 9.5 inches per year and a total drop of over 39 feet in less than a century.
• NASA's NISAR satellite, a joint project with the Indian Space Research Organization, has been used to measure this subsidence in real-time between October 2025 and January 2026, offering unprecedented detail on land changes.
• The advanced satellite data provides a crucial tool for researchers and officials to better understand and mitigate the subsidence problem, which had been largely ignored by the government until recent water crises prompted increased funding for research.
• Researchers hope to expand the use of NISAR technology globally to monitor natural disasters, fault line shifts, and climate change effects, while in Mexico City, it aids long-term planning and mitigation efforts.