Africa Is Splitting Apart and Scientists Say a New Ocean Is Forming

Scientists have now confirmed that they have observed the African continent beginning to split apart. Tectonic plate movements are a reality that we have to deal with, but usually they take a really long time for us to even notice; however, that is not the case with this one.

A Continent in Motion

The African continent is ripping apart along the East African Rift System (EARS), which is the boundary of the tectonic plates that reaches from the Red Sea down through Mozambique.

Because of this phenomenon, various cracks are being experienced on the continent, along with an increase in earthquakes, seismic, and volcanic activity.

Africa is SPLITTING APART to Form a NEW Ocean - Africa Splitting into Two Continents New SEA Forming

The tectonic mass is expected to divide into the Nubian and Somali plates and is already separating at an average of 6-7 millimeters per year. Can you imagine your continent splitting apart near the middle and then water seeping into the cracks, forming a new ocean soon? Because that is exactly what is about to happen next.

Source: Live Science

Birth of a New Ocean

The divergence of the plates is causing the Earth’s crust to thin out and even sink, as we can see from the cracks that have already been reported in Africa. Soon, this will create a rift valley where the waters from the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to flood the rift with seawater, essentially creating a new ocean.

If you are wondering if this is the same process as how our first oceans were created, it is not. The very first ocean on Earth was created billions of years ago, when a combination of water vapor was released from the interior of the planet, along with icy asteroids and comets that landed on the surface.

Then the Earth cooled down, and that water vapor condensed into liquid form, starting the millions of years of rain that eventually filled the planet and created the first ocean.

Source: The Sun

Implications for the Future

The splitting apart of Africa and a new ocean emerging will actually take millions of years to be completed; however, their impact is immediate and will be felt by the billions of people in Africa.

As the Earth’s crust adjusts to all these tectonic movements, Africa will experience a lot of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. That is why scientists are already giving this phenomenon as much attention as they can to help predict geological hazards and inform governments and constructors how to plan to create future infrastructures that are safe in the affected regions.

Source: Wired

Africa Is Slowly Splitting - A New Ocean Is on the Way

Author's Final Thoughts

The gradual splitting of Africa is a good reminder to us all that our planet is dynamic in nature. It always changes and moves, just like how Pangea was split into several continents; another version of that event will occur.

While it takes millions of years for a new ocean to emerge, all the changes it brings are already affecting a lot of people and influencing their lives and future decisions.

That is why we should not waste this opportunity to know what is about to happen and prepare for it. After all, even if you do not reside in Africa, this is your planet too.

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