A satellite view of 115,000 points all over the city has brought forth a shocking reality: Istanbul is sinking. The triangle encompassing Kucukcekmece-Tuzla-Sariyer is sinking at a rate of 6 centimeters per year, a rate equaled by other areas throughout the larger metropolitan area.

Doctor Mustafa Aktar of the Bosphorus University Earthquake Research Institute has said that the sinkage is concentrated mostly in coastal areas and along the sides and basins of valleys. Dr. Aktar said that many areas with noticeable sinkage are areas where industries have dug wells to pull water from the ground, which causes the collapse of the land. Aktar noted also, "The other problem is the general softness of the ground. The areas that are collapsing are the same ones which we expect will be the most damaged in a possible earthquake."