That Sinking Feeling
Venice is probably the city most affected by land subsidence. It has been sinking each year more than it ever has within the past century at about one to two millimeters per year.
 |
| The sinking ground plus rising sea levels contribute to many floods |
Only in the last few decades have scientists realized the cause of this city on the sea to become more under sea-level. Pumping groundwater from underneath the city and centuries of buildings created have been the culprits of the event. Venice also sits on the Adriatic Plate, which is the plate subducting beneath the Eurasian Plate, causing it to decrease in elevation. The measurement of how much groundwater is left, the saturation of soil, and the detection of land displacements is being analyzed by radar imaging to create an accurate map of subsidizing in Venice.
Sinkholes are a dangerous by-product of land subsidence. In February, a giant sinkhole measuring ten meters opened up in the middle of an intersection in Naples. Nobody was hurt but many people were forced to evacuate their homes.
Sinkholes in rural areas not sitting on limestone are heavily influenced by heavy rains and/or burst water pipes underground, as was the case for this.
Sinkhole in Naples
Venice Sinking
Subsidence in Venice
Wow, this is very interesting to see the impact people have had on the Venice area. It would be very cool to see how the area would look if there had never been so much removal of water and construction. Do you think the city would be entirely above sea level now, or would this process have been inevitable, just delayed a bit?
ReplyDeleteWell, the Italian government has put a stop to groundwater removal within the past 5 years. It had a decent impact in the lessening of subsidence but with sea-levels rising, the city is doomed to be underwater. So yes i do think it could've bought these people a few decades or so of time if they didn't extract so much water.
DeleteDo you think that there is any hope for Venice? Or will they have to completely lose the city? There is so much cultural wealth there that I hope they find a solution.
ReplyDelete