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Science & Technology

Crack suggests that Africa is splitting in two

By T.K. Randall
April 1, 2018 · Comment icon 11 comments

Will there eventually be two African continents ? Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 hanonimas
A huge crack that opened up in Kenya recently has indicated the beginnings of a new continental split.
The crack, which opened up in Kenya's Rift Valley following heavy rains and seismic activity last month, measures around 50ft wide, 50ft deep and is several miles long.

Africa is known to sit on two continental plates - the Nubian plate and the Somali plate - with the dividing line being the East African Rift - a 3,000km stretch from the Gulf of Aden to Zimbabwe.
The two plates have been drifting apart at a rate of 2.5 centimeters per year and eventually the continent is likely to split in to two parts - turning a large chunk of eastern Africa in to an island.

While there is nothing that can be done to stop it, a complete break-up of the continent along the East African Rift is going to take an extremely long time - possibly even tens of millions of years.

Nonetheless - last month's activity shows that, even now, this process can have a significant impact.



Source: Tech Times | Comments (11)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #2 Posted by Myles 7 years ago
This is very interesting, but why didn't they show an upper view of where they think this "split" may happen?  
Comment icon #3 Posted by Hammerclaw 7 years ago
The split has already been happening. That's what the rift valleys are all about. 
Comment icon #4 Posted by paperdyer 7 years ago
How about filling the rift with fast drying concrete?  Works in the movies!
Comment icon #5 Posted by bison 7 years ago
The map at the top of the article linked below gives an impression of what the split-apart Africa will look like, some millions of years hence: http://mgafrica.com/article/2015-03-31-bye-bye-east-africa-the-african-plate-is-splitting-in-two 
Comment icon #6 Posted by spud the mackem 7 years ago
That's really useful knowledge when you're asked , where were you when it happened ..
Comment icon #7 Posted by Jon the frog 7 years ago
Living millions of years would be awesome to see these kind of phenomena evolving. 
Comment icon #8 Posted by Myles 7 years ago
Madagascar 2.0 I agree with the frog, it sure would be neat to see the world in a few million years.  
Comment icon #9 Posted by Hammerclaw 7 years ago
Comment icon #10 Posted by Stubbly_Dooright 7 years ago
Where did you get this pic, Hammie?? I'm assuming this is also the effect of melting glaciers and such. Interestingly enough, comparing this pic to this , looks like South America will be connecting to Antarctica.  Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe...............      Wait! Where's Connecticut on there?!  Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!   
Comment icon #11 Posted by Hammerclaw 7 years ago
Sleepin' wit da fishes.


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