In 100 years, a quarter of China’s urban coastal land could sit below sea level, the study found. Gilles Sabrie for The New York Times

China’s sinking cities

Nearly half of China’s major cities are losing elevation, a new study found. Beijing is among the places that are sinking the fastest.

Researchers said a major culprit was the sheer weight of buildings and infrastructure. Others include the pumping of water from aquifers underneath the cities, as well as oil drilling and coal mining. These activities leave space underground where soil and rocks can compact or collapse.