1/3 of China's urban population is at risk from city sinking due to land subsidence, primarily caused by excessive groundwater extraction.

A third of China's urban population is at risk from city sinking, according to new satellite data, with 16% of the country's major cities losing more than 10 millimeters of elevation per year and nearly half losing more than 3 millimeters per year. Nearly half of China's urban areas, home to nearly one-third of the country's urban population, are experiencing land subsidence, putting tens of millions of people at risk. Satellite data has revealed that excessive groundwater extraction is a primary factor for subsidence, which accelerates local sea level rise from climate change, damages buildings and roads, and causes drainage issues in sinking areas.