Is a New Ocean Forming in Africa?
Yes, a new ocean is slowly forming in eastern Africa. The East African Rift System is pulling the Somali Plate away from the Nubian Plate. Over millions of years, this could create a new ocean basin similar to the Red Sea.
What Is the East African Rift?
The East African Rift is a tectonic divergence zone stretching from the Afar Triple Junction in the north to Mozambique in the south. Mantle upwelling thins the crust, causing volcanic activity and frequent earthquakes. The rift widens by a few millimeters each year.
Will East Africa Become an Island?
In the distant geological future, eastern Africa could become an island as the rift widens and the Indian Ocean floods the lowland. This process will take millions of years. The Afar region in Ethiopia is a key area where scientists study this rifting.
For detailed research, see the United States Geological Survey page on the East African Rift at https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/is-there-new-ocean-forming-africa.
