Land around the Florida condominium that collapsed early on Thursday morning in Surfside, Florida, showed signs of sinking in the 90s, according to a 2020 study.
The study, published in the journal Ocean and Coastal Management and conducted by Florida International University professor Shimon Wdowinski, identified the Champlain Towers South building as an area showing signs of land subsidence - when land settles or sinks.
Wdowinski told FIU News that while the research shows that the ground around the building had moved, it wouldn't be the sole cause of the collapse.
"When we measure subsidence or when we see movement of the buildings, it's worth checking why it happens," Wdowinski said. "We cannot say what is the reason for that from the satellite images but we can say there was movement here.
