Mexico City is sinking at a rate of up to 25 centimeters per year in certain areas, according to satellite data from NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The subsidence, visible from space, affects key infrastructure including the city's main airport and the Angel of Independence monument, with some zones sinking 2 centimeters per month.

New measurements from the NISAR satellite, collected between October 2025 and January 2026, show parts of the city subsiding by more than half an inch monthly. The Metropolitan Cathedral, under construction since 1573, is visibly tilted, and many downtown buildings require added steps due to sinking ground. Researchers at Mexico's National Autonomous University attribute the collapse to over-extraction of groundwater from an ancient lakebed, compounded by the weight of urban development.

Enrique Cabral, a geophysics researcher, said the subsidence damages critical systems including water supply, drainage, subways, and roads. The city has sunk more than 12 meters in some areas over the past century. NISAR's high-resolution radar is now being used to monitor other global subsidence hotspots.

NASA and ISRO will continue releasing NISAR data every 12 days to track ground changes. Mexican authorities are reviewing the findings to assess infrastructure risks and groundwater management policies.