What is land subsidence

Land subsidence is when the ground slowly sinks or settles down. This happens when the soil and rocks underneath the surface move downward, causing the land above to sink. It can be caused by natural processes like earthquakes or erosion, but it can also be sped up by human activities like mining, groundwater extraction, and construction. For example, when people pump too much water out of the ground for farming or drinking, it can cause the land to sink. In some places, buildings and roads have even been damaged because of land subsidence. One verifiable fact is that in California, the land is sinking at a rate of about half an inch per year in some areas due to excessive groundwater pumping. An analogy for land subsidence is like a balloon deflating slowly. As the air comes out of the balloon, it gets smaller and smaller. Similarly, as the ground beneath us sinks, the land above it goes down too.