And Mexico City, a mile and a half above sea level, was sinking, collapsing in on itself. Always short of water, Mexico City keeps drilling deeper for more, weakening the ancient clay lake beds on which the Aztecs first built much of the city, causing it to crumble even further. Always short of water, Mexico City keeps drilling deeper for more, weakening the ancient clay lake beds on which the Aztecs first built much of the city, causing it to crumble even further. MOUNT TLALOC Grand Canal Extent of underlying ancient lake sediments SIERRA DE GUADALUPE CITY CENTER National Palace MEXICO CITY Grand Canal Extent of underlying ancient lake sediments SIERRA DE GUADALUPE CITY CENTER National Palace MEXICO CITY Extent of underlying ancient lake sediments Grand Canal National Palace MEXICO CITY Grand Canal Extent of underlying ancient lake sediments National Palace MEXICO CITY It is a cycle made worse by climate change. Loreta Castro Reguera is a young, Harvard-trained architect who has made a specialty of the sinking ground in Mexico City, a phenomenon known as subsidence.

Source: New York Times February 17, 2017 10:00 UTC