Mexico City Sinks Up to 2cm a Month as NASA Satellite Tracks Subsidence

NASA's NISAR satellite has captured new radar images showing that sections of Mexico City are sinking by more than 2cm a month, one of the fastest subsidence rates recorded anywhere in the world. The data, gathered between October 2025 and January 2026, reveal the extent and variation of the sinking across different types of land in the metropolis of about 22 million people.

Dark blue areas on the maps indicate zones subsiding fastest, including the city's main airport. Walking into the capital’s sprawling central Zócalo presents a dizzying sight. These leaning historic structures are the most visible evidence of a process documented since 1925.

The Angel of Independence monument on Paseo de la Reforma has required 14 additional steps at its base since its completion in 1910 because the surrounding ground has gradually dropped. The statue stands as one of the clearest examples of the city's descent.

Impacts appear across the urban landscape. Tilting buildings, warping roads and damage to the underground metro system have all been linked to the subsidence. An engineer at the National Autonomous University of Mexico said the problem affects streets, water distribution pipes, drainage systems and the overall urban infrastructure.

The sinking stems from centuries of groundwater pumping. Built on the bed of an ancient lake, the city sits atop soft, clay-like soil. When water is withdrawn faster than natural recharge from rainfall, the aquifer compacts under the weight of the structures above.

The underground aquifer still supplies about half the capital's water. As pumping has intensified, the water table has fallen by roughly 40cm a year. This in turn cracks ageing pipes, causing the city to lose an estimated 40 percent of its water through leakage.

Years of below-average rainfall linked to the climate crisis have compounded the strain. Experts warn the combination of subsidence and reduced water availability could lead to a scenario in which taps in large parts of the city run dry. Limited measures have been taken so far, mainly focused on reinforcing foundations of ancient buildings.

Halting the descent would require stopping groundwater extraction, but officials note that alternative supplies are not readily available.

The NISAR mission, a joint project between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation, uses powerful radar capable of detecting surface changes even through vegetation or cloud cover. Scientists say it represents a major advance over previous space-based sensors.

One researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory stated that NISAR can observe any change, big or small, from week to week. The imagery has also allowed study of harder-to-reach areas on the city's outskirts that earlier missions could not penetrate effectively.

An engineer at the National Autonomous University of Mexico said the Mexico City study demonstrates the broader possibilities NISAR opens for monitoring subsidence, volcanoes, earthquake deformation and landslides worldwide. Project scientists expect an influx of new discoveries from many regions as more data arrives.

“Nisar takes radar imaging observations of Earth to the next level. Nisar will see any change big or small that happens on Earth from week to week. No other imaging mission can claim this.”

The fire at a crowded fairground in Villahermosa, Tabasco, that killed at least five people is unrelated to the capital's subsidence issues. That blaze broke out during a concert attended by as many as 135,000 people in the early hours of Thursday. Local officials said emergency services brought the flames under control later that day.

Separately, V of BTS was seen arriving at the group's concert in Mexico City sporting new blond-accented hair.