Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, is sinking.
In some places land subsidence is 20cm a year. Sea level rises are around 0.5cm/year. The rate of land subsidence is therefore far above that of sea-level rise; in some places, by a factor of 40. The sinking land, combined with sea level rise, increases the flood risk of the city as a whole.
Flood events have dramatically increased over the past century. In 1892, only two flood events were recorded. By 1960 that had risen to five. By 2010 that had leapt to 10.
