Overview
- New satellite measurements from NASA and ISRO’s NISAR mission show parts of Mexico City sinking about 0.78 inches per month, based on radar passes collected between October 2025 and January 2026.
- NISAR uses long‑wavelength radar to track tiny changes in ground height with repeat views roughly every 12 days, capturing shifts day or night and through clouds.
- Researchers warn the drop is straining daily life by damaging the subway, storm drains, drinking water pipes, roads and housing, with visible tilts in historic buildings.
- The city’s site on a drained lakebed makes it prone to compaction as groundwater is pumped, producing century‑scale losses exceeding 39 feet in places, with reports of much larger drops in a few local areas.
- Project scientists say continued passes will sharpen the maps and could support building‑level monitoring for targeted fixes, while local officials have begun funding research tied to the water crisis.