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temple: a religious building where people gather to worship

metropolis: a large, heavily populated city

urban sprawl: the uncontrolled growth of a city

erosion: the gradual loss of ground surface

depletion: the using up or emptying of something

foundation: the structure below ground that supports a building

Bangkok Is Sinking

If you’ve always wanted to visit Bangkok and tour its historic temples, now might be the time. The capital of Thailand is sinking twice as fast as it was a decade ago. Scientists fear the metropolis could be completely underwater within 20 years. Urban sprawl is largely to blame for the surface erosion and depletion of groundwater. Thailand is also very sensitive to climate change. As the water rises and the ground erodes, one of the biggest problems will be drainage. Many of the historic buildings are in danger already because they weren’t built with deep foundations. Other large cities that are at risk of sinking in the near future are New York, New Orleans, Venice, Shanghai, and Mexico City.