Since the early 1990s, Jakarta has been sinking at an alarming rate. In some areas, the ground is dropping by as much as 2.5 centimeters per year. The root of the problem is the city’s excessive groundwater pumping, which has caused the underlying soil to compact and the city’s water table to drop. If the trend continues, large parts of Jakarta could be underwater by 2030.
The sinking is not affecting just Jakarta itself, but also the surrounding areas. The …