Cristobal Herrera / EPA
About three dozen luxury condominiums and several hotels along the beaches of Miami in southern Florida are sinking or evolving unexpectedly, some due to nearby construction.
The 35 buildings analyzed in a now-released study are located along a 19-kilometer strip, de Miami Beach a Sunny Isles Beachand sank between two to eight centimeters.
About half are less than a decade old, point out researchers from the Rosenstiel School of Earth, Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Miami.
“Unexpected” discovery
“The discovery of the extent of subsidence points along the south coast of Florida it was unexpected“, says the study’s lead author, Farzaneh Aziz Zanjani, in a statement.
It is not uncommon for buildings to sink a little during or shortly after construction.
But scientists emphasize that their discovery is surprising because some of the changes now observed occurred years after construction.
O limestone beneath the beaches of South Florida is enveloped in layers of sand that can shift under the weight of tallest buildingsor as a result of vibrations from foundation construction.
Os tidal flows also play a role in this phenomenon.
Studies carried out in recent years have concluded that the defrost which occurred between 19,000 and 26,000 years ago, has an impact on current sea levels, causing changes in some regions and others.
In some areas of the US East Coast, which are especially vulnerable climate changethere are houses, or from being submerged.
