NISAR satellite maps rapid ground subsidence in Mexico City
Updated
Updated · NASA · Apr 29
NISAR satellite maps rapid ground subsidence in Mexico City
10 articles · Updated · NASA · Apr 29
Preliminary NISAR data from October 2025 to January 2026 reveal parts of Mexico City sinking over 2 centimeters per month, with landmarks like Benito Juarez International Airport and the Angel of Independence affected.
NISAR’s L-band radar, launched in July 2025 by NASA and ISRO, enables reliable, cloud-penetrating monitoring of land changes, offering critical insights for infrastructure and urban planning in subsidence-prone regions.
This mission marks the first use of dual-wavelength SAR from space, promising global coverage and improved detection of land subsidence, glacier movement, and agricultural changes, especially in densely vegetated or coastal areas.
As NISAR watches our cities sink from space, how will this data reshape future urban development?
Are the most vulnerable communities bearing the heaviest cost as Mexico City continues to sink?
With cities sinking faster than seas are rising, is subsidence now the bigger threat to coastal populations?
If Tokyo stopped its sinking by banning groundwater pumping, why can’t other megacities follow suit?
Is the massive economic cost of stopping groundwater pumping a price worth paying to save a city?
Alarming 2+ cm/Month Land Subsidence in Mexico City Detected by NASA-ISRO NISAR Satellite
Overview
New data from the NISAR satellite reveals that Mexico City is sinking rapidly, with some areas on soft, ancient lakebed sediments subsiding over 2 centimeters per month. This subsidence is caused by unsustainable groundwater extraction, which lowers the water table and causes the compressible sediments beneath the city to compact. The uneven sinking stresses critical infrastructure like the Metro system, contributing to failures such as the 2021 Olivos overpass collapse. Historical sinking has already damaged roads, buildings, and property values, leading to significant economic losses. Efforts like the World Bank's PROSEGHIR project aim to reduce groundwater use and protect infrastructure, while global sea-level rise worsens risks for sinking cities worldwide.