Land subsidence, a growing problem
2015-03-04 | CGS Admin
Deltares, an independent institute for applied research in the field of water and subsurface, hosted fifteen international subsidence experts to discuss subsidence problems worldwide at the annual meeting of UNESCO Land Subsidence working group. The video below features Gilles Erkens, subsidence expert from Deltares, discussing the impact of subsidence in the Netherlands during a field trip. Land subsidence is causing more and more damage every year. It scarcely registers on the radar of many countries. Even so, the impact on coastal cities and peat areas is increasingly apparent. Levels of flood damage are rising and the risk of casualties is growing. Land subsidence can also lead to major economic losses such as structural damage and high maintenance costs for roads, railways, dikes, pipelines and buildings. The total bill worldwide adds up to many billions of dollars annually. It can only rise further in the future with population growth, global sea level rise, and the intensification of economic activities in delta areas.