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August 25th, 2026
Daily puzzle · Medium · Streets map
Theme: Cities Slowly Sinking Into the Sea
Rising water and sinking ground are a bad combination, and these five cities know it well. Venice's medieval canals now flood more often as the city subsides and the Adriatic rises. New Orleans sits below sea level thanks to drained wetlands and leveed rivers, while Bangkok's soft clay foundations are giving way under the weight of groundwater pumping. Jakarta sinks so fast that Indonesia is building an entirely new capital, and nearby Semarang faces the same quiet crisis with far less global attention.
1
Venice, ItalyThis lagoon city is famous for its canals and increasingly frequent 'acqua alta' flooding.
2
New Orleans, LouisianaMuch of this Louisiana city lies below sea level, protected by an extensive levee system.
3
Bangkok, ThailandThailand's capital is built on soft river delta clay that is gradually compacting.
4
Jakarta, IndonesiaIndonesia's capital is one of the fastest-sinking major cities in the world.
5
Semarang, IndonesiaThis Javanese port city faces severe land subsidence from groundwater extraction.