The city is sinking at a rate of one to two millimetres per year, according to three oceanologists from the University of Rhode Island and a researcher from the US Geological Survey.

The researchers found that some parts of the city – with heavier buildings – are sinking faster than others and faster than the national average, USA Today reports.

There are more than one million buildings in NYC, weighing more than 771 billion kilograms.

“The point of the paper is to raise awareness that every additional high-rise building constructed at coastal, river, or lakefront settings could contribute to future flood risk, and that mitigation strategies may need to be included,” the researchers said.