Buildings are sinking and cracking in one of Europe’s largest cities
- As blistering temperatures baked London this summer, residents noticed zig-zagging cracks appearing across walls, doors getting stuck, and windows warping as heat waves dried the city's clay soil, causing buildings to shift and sink.
- London sits on clay that expands when wet and contracts in dry conditions, a process called "shrink-swell," which consecutive drought summers are now fueling across the UK.
- Insurers paid more than $97 million for UK subsidence claims in the second quarter of 2026, with average claims reaching a record $27,000; subsidence expert Bob Gibson noted that hot, dry summers trigger a "surge" in claims.
- Residents face rising premiums as insurers decline renewal for high-risk properties, while Brunella Balzano, senior lecturer at Cardiff University, warned that engineers cannot mitigate climate-driven subsidence and often resort to expensive underpinning.
- Aviva projects 100% of properties across many London areas face subsidence risk by 2030, while British Geological Survey data suggests over 26% of homes citywide could be affected by 2070 if global warming continues at current pace.
14 Articles
14 Articles
London and Southeast England are facing increasing land subsidence as heatwaves and droughts caused by climate change cause the region's clay soil to shrink, causing building foundations to shift. The problem is not just affecting the British capital, but is spreading across the UK, CNN reports.
The great city of Europe that began to deform this summer. What is happening to its buildings and infrastructure?
This summer's heatwave has not only left record temperatures in London, but residents have also started to notice zigzag cracks in walls, creaking doors and warped windows. The cause has to do with the soil on which much of the city is built.
Extreme heat is raging in London: homes are starting to crack and sink. Experts warn that the situation is getting worse.
London, like other parts of southeastern England, is at the epicenter of a subsidence problem, which is being aggravated by unusually hot and dry weather. As heat waves dry up the city's soil, the terrain moves and shrinks, causing buildings to sink as well.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 90% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
