In a sobering study, scientists have combined flood maps with population data from the 2010 U.S. Census to project the potential human and economic toll of future flooding events. The findings paint a dire picture: without intervention, an estimated 1 in 50 people residing in 280,000 coastal properties across the United States will face the brunt of these impacts. Alarmingly, minority and low-income communities are expected to bear a disproportionate share of the damages.
To avert this looming crisis, urgent action is imperative. Measures such as curbing natural gas and groundwater extraction to mitigate subsidence, along with bolstering coastal defenses, are deemed essential by the research team.
“It is clear that significant investment in both structural defenses and subsidence management strategies will be essential,” emphasized Ohenhen, a member of the research team. “The economic implications of such investments must be weighed against the potential costs of inaction, which could result in far greater economic and social impacts.”
However, the threat of subsidence extends beyond U.S. borders. Globally, sinking land attributed to groundwater extraction is anticipated to affect 19% of the world’s population by 2040. The magnitude of human-induced changes to the Earth’s tilt underscores the gravity of the situation. In Indonesia, the ramifications of subsidence are already starkly evident, prompting the government to announce the relocation of its capital from Jakarta to Borneo after the mega-city sank more than 8 feet (2.5 m) in the last decade.
As communities worldwide grapple with the multifaceted challenges posed by subsidence and rising sea levels, proactive measures and international cooperation will be indispensable in safeguarding vulnerable populations and mitigating the far-reaching consequences of inaction.
