Findings from a recent study led by experts at the University of Miami have unveiled that luxury condos and hotels across the South Florida coastline are, in fact, sinking.
A team of scientists from the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science have identified 35 buildings across Miami Beach, Bal Harbour, Surfside and Sunny Isles Beach experiencing unexpected ground sinking. It’s not necessarily at a rapid pace, but they are sinking slowly — anywhere between 0.8 and 3 inches from 2016 to 2023.
The study, released last week, used satellite data to measure the displacement over time. While it isn’t uncommon for buildings to sink slightly during or directly after construction, this study showed that subsidence — the gradual sinking of an area of land — can continue through for years.
Why is this happening exactly?
The research suggests that South Floria’s limestone terrain interspersed with layers of sand, paired with construction activities and groundwater movements, contribute to the settling. They call it “creep deformation,” in which sand grains compact under the weight of the massive structures.
“South Florida’s geology is generally characterized by young, highly porous limestone containing dissolution features like vugs, cavities, and sinkholes,” the study reads. “But the geological situation of the barrier islands is complex because the limestone may contain interbedded sand layers.”
How much of South Florida is really sinking?
Interestingly enough, the study found the most sinking in northern and central Sunny Isles Beach, with almost 70% of buildings experiencing subsidence. Surfside, Bal Harbour and Miami Beach are also seeing settling, but not as much. Still, many of the properties affected are less than a decade old, and include structures like the Porsche Design Tower, Trump Tower III, The Surf Club Towers, Ritz-Carlton Residences and Faena Hotel.
Moreover, the scientists analyzed data for Champlain Towers South in Surfside, which tragically collapsed in 2021 and killed nearly 100 people, though they found no signs of sinking before its collapse.
Despite how alarming all of this sounds, the results of the study aren’t meant to instill fear, but instead emphasize the need for further monitoring and researching.
“Our hope is that officials in Florida will recognize the value for continued research on this issue across the state and explore how this novel technology can benefit coastal residents.” said Falk Amelung, a professor of geophysics in the Department of Marine Geosciences at the Rosenstiel School.
If you’d like to read it for yourself, the full study can be found here.