Scientists Warn Africa Is Gradually Breaking Apart, New Ocean Possible

Scientists say Africa is slowly breaking apart along a massive crack, a process that will eventually create a new ocean. Recent research shows that this change is happening very gradually and will take millions of years to complete. Although the movement is slow, it is an important geological process shaping the future of the continent, reported Newsweek.

This process is ongoing along the East African Rift (EAR). In this region, the eastern part of Africa, called the Somalian Plate, is slowly separating from the larger Nubian Plate, which forms the bulk of the continent. This shift is occurring very slowly, with land moving only a few millimeters each year.

To the north, the Nubian and Somalian plates are also pulling away from the Arabian Plate. This has led to the development of a Y-shaped rift system. These three plates meet in the Afar region of Ethiopia, which scientists call the "Triple Junction." This area is considered unique because it is one of the very few places in the world where the Ethiopian Rift, the Red Sea Rift, and the Gulf of Aden Rift meet simultaneously.

Rift Process Began Millions Of Years Ago

The East African Rift began about 25 million years ago, during the Miocene. It originates at the Afar Triple Junction and extends approximately 2,174 miles, running from the Red Sea to Mozambique. Its eastern branch passes through Ethiopia and Kenya, while its western branch curves from Uganda to Malawi.

A New Ocean May Be Formed From Sea Water

The Earth's crust in the Afar region is already quite thin, and some parts lie below sea level. Two branches of the rift are already submerged in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. According to scientists, as the land between these regions sinks further, seawater will begin to fill in, gradually forming a new ocean between the diverging plates.

Separation Is Happening Faster In The North

Scientists have also observed that the separation of plates is relatively faster in the northern part of the rift. D. Sarah Stamps, a geophysicist at Virginia Tech, says that this is why the process of forming new oceans is likely to begin first in the north, where the rate of expansion is highest.

On average, tectonic plates are moving apart at a rate of about 0.28 inches per year. This means that it would take millions of years for an entire ocean to form. However, scientists believe that even this slow change could quickly impact human life, increasing the risk of earthquakes and volcanic activity.

The Earth's crust is composed of approximately 15 to 20 tectonic plates, which float on molten magma beneath the Earth. Geologists believe that a mantle plume, a column of hot material rising from within the Earth, exists beneath the Afar region. This heat is helping to weaken the upper crust and break it apart, due to which the geographical structure of Africa is gradually changing.