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über 50 Hauptstädte in China sinken
Due to the over-depletion of groundwater, over 50 major cities in China are sinking, Chinese officials recently announced. Slated to be the China's tallest building upon completion, the 632-meter tall Shanghai Tower conveys stability, if not permanence. Spectators were intrigued in mid-February when a giant 8-meter long crack appeared in the asphalt near the tower. The crack was a reminder of Shanghai's shifting and sinking ground, which scientists say makes the city vulnerable to rising sea levels. And Shanghai is not alone. China's Ministry of Land and Resources recently reported that the ground is sinking under more than 50 cities. The culprit is the overuse of groundwater, the ministry's Geological Environment Department Deputy Director Tao Qingfa told Caixin. When residents consume too much groundwater, water pressure underground depletes and causes the soil to shift and sink, Tao said. Beijing, Tianjin, Hangzhou and Xi'an are all sinking in certain places as a result, he said.
The State Council recently ratified a five-year plan to address the issue of sinking ground levels, identifying the Yangtze River Delta, North China Plains and Fenwei Basin in Northern China as the most serious cases. »The pumping of ground water to support the city's industrialization is to blame,« Shanghai Institute for Geological Survey Vice Chief Engineer Fang Zheng told CCTV recently. Some cities have already recognized the need to limit groundwater exploration.
http://english.caixin.com/2012-02-24/100360577.html
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