Headline:
Dozens of Luxury Buildings in Southeast Florida Sinking at Alarming Rates
Subhead:
Study finds high-end condominiums, hotels, and other structures are gradually sinking due to construction vibrations and tidal movements.
Byline:
CNN Staff
Article:
In a surprising revelation, scientists from the University of Miami have discovered that dozens of high-end buildings in southeast Florida are sinking at unexpected rates. A recent study published in the journal Earth’s Future found that 35 buildings, from Golden Beach to Miami Beach, have sunk up to 7 centimeters since 2016, with the trend continuing.
The affected buildings house tens of thousands of residents and tourists and include prominent structures like Ritz-Carlton Residences, Trump Tower III, Trump International Beach Resorts, and the iconic Surf Club Towers. Lead researcher(*) Shimon Wdowinski, a geophysicist at the University of Miami, attributed the primary cause of the sinking to vibration from construction activities that compact and densify soil particles, leading to gradual land subsidence.
"It’s not unexpected for buildings to shift during or immediately after construction," Wdowinski told CNN, "but the fact that it continues for years afterward is surprising." The study began after the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida, in 2021. Although no signs of sinking were detected in buildings near the collapsed tower, investigators found evidence of it in nearby coastal structures.
To track the subtle earth movements, researchers utilized satellite imagery to monitor specific points on the buildings, such as balconies and air conditioning units on rooftops. The study revealed that nearly 70% of buildings in the northern and central regions of Sunny Isles Beach are sinking, with around 23% of these structures built within the last decade.
In addition to construction vibrations, daily tides that move water back and forth along the coast, as well as seismic activity and soil compaction from heavy buildings or sediments accumulating over time, contribute to the sinking problem. Miami faces a double threat: not only is the ground sinking, but sea levels are also rising due to climate change, increasing the city’s vulnerability to coastal flooding, storm surges, and erosion.
"Ground subsidence exacerbated by sea-level rise can lead to more severe flooding issues," said Manoochehr Shirzaei, a geophysicist at Virginia Tech who was not involved in the study. The average sea-level rise in the studied area is about 0.6 meters per decade, Brian McNoldy, a climate and weather researcher at the University of Miami, told CNN.
However, experts caution against panic and emphasize that monitoring techniques have improved, allowing proactive tracking of coastal high-rise stability. "The good news is, unlike sea-level rise, we can take local measures to protect ourselves from land subsidence," Shirzaei said. "This technology gives us the data to implement a proactive, healthcare-like approach for buildings, monitoring them regularly and taking preventive actions before disasters occur."
(†) Disclaimer: The study’s findings have been peer-reviewed and published in an academic journal, but the research is ongoing.
