As cities sink and sea levels rise due to the climate crisis, people become even more vulnerable to flooding.
According to a new study by the University of the Philippines (UP), metropolitan areas in the Philippines are sinking due to groundwater extraction. This study, done by the UP Resilience Institute (UPRI) and the National Institute of Geological Sciences led by geologist Mahar Lagmay, showed the maps and measurements of the land.
Land subsidence, defined as the "gradual retreat or sudden sinking of the earth's surface," is caused by human activities such as the extraction of water, oil, and minerals from the earth.
In the study, subsidence was identified in cities, towns, and barangays in metropolitan areas such as the Greater Manila Area, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, Metro Iloilo, and Legazpi City.
Parts of Bulacan are usually flooded during the rainy season. According to a study from UP Diliman, the 'uncontrolled and unmonitored operation' that refers to the extraction of groundwater in Bulacan and Cavite causes 40 millimeters or 4 centimeters of subsidence every year. Economic zones and technoparks in Cavite and Laguna, according to the study, are involved in land subsidence.
As cities sink, sea levels rise
Sea level rise is caused by climate change. As temperatures rise, ice sheets and glaciers melt, and seawater expands, contributing to rising water levels in our oceans.
