https://en.sputniknews.africa/20260615/africas-future-map-continent-splitting-crack-is-widening-faster-scientists-warn-1086677573.html
Africa's Future Map? Continent-Splitting Crack is Widening Faster, Scientists Warn
Africa's Future Map? Continent-Splitting Crack is Widening Faster, Scientists Warn
Sputnik Africa
A geological phenomenon stretching over 2,000 miles across East Africa is unzipping the continent faster than geologists previously believed earlier this year... 15.06.2026, Sputnik Africa
2026-06-15T18:47+0200
2026-06-15T18:47+0200
2026-06-15T18:47+0200
african currents
podcasts
sputnik africa
africa
central africa
east africa
north africa
west africa
southern africa
ethiopia
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.africa/img/07ea/06/0f/1086680809_0:88:400:313_1920x0_80_0_0_7366e5598da0d4e20f1ebf0e6c3f822d.jpg
Africa's Future Map? Continent-Splitting Crack is Widening Faster, Scientists Warn
Sputnik Africa
A geological phenomenon stretching over 2,000 miles across East Africa is unzipping the continent faster than geologists previously believed earlier this year. They projected that a new ocean could form in the coming years.
For millions of years, Africa has stood as the world’s second-largest continent, its landmass seemingly immovable. But deep beneath the surface, the Earth is telling a different story. Three tectonic plates are slowly pulling apart along the East African Rift Valley, a fracture system that researchers now say has entered an advanced and accelerating phase of continental breakup. What was once considered a geological footnote confined to distant timescales is now drawing urgent attention from researchers, who say the Turkana Rift on the continent's eastern flank has thinned to a critical point, setting the stage for a split that will one day see the region swallowed by a new ocean and redraw the map of the world.African Currents set out to explore the East African Rift System: the geological forces driving today’s tectonic activity beneath the continent, how communities along the rift are responding, the economic opportunities it creates, the environmental hazards it poses, and the policies African nations should put in place. For insight, we reached out to Professor Athanas Macheyeki, head of the Department of Geology at the University of Dodoma in Tanzania.Catch the full discussion on the African Currents podcast, presented by Sputnik Africa.Listen to this episode on our website or Telegram.► You can also stream the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, Pocket Casts, Afripods, Podcast Addict.► Subscribe to and explore all the episodes of African Currents.
africa
central africa
east africa
north africa
west africa
southern africa
ethiopia
kenya
djibouti
mozambique
tanzania
botswana
eritrea
Sputnik Africa
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
2026
Chimauchem Nwosu
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.africa/img/07e8/06/0b/1066992175_0:0:278:278_100x100_80_0_0_b5f6eaa3b85dbfcd0266ea860848a996.jpg
Chimauchem Nwosu
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.africa/img/07e8/06/0b/1066992175_0:0:278:278_100x100_80_0_0_b5f6eaa3b85dbfcd0266ea860848a996.jpg
News
en_EN
Sputnik Africa
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Sputnik Africa
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Chimauchem Nwosu
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.africa/img/07e8/06/0b/1066992175_0:0:278:278_100x100_80_0_0_b5f6eaa3b85dbfcd0266ea860848a996.jpg
podcasts, sputnik africa, africa, central africa, east africa, north africa, west africa, southern africa, ethiopia, kenya, djibouti, mozambique, tanzania, botswana, geology, earthquake, eritrea, аудио
podcasts, sputnik africa, africa, central africa, east africa, north africa, west africa, southern africa, ethiopia, kenya, djibouti, mozambique, tanzania, botswana, geology, earthquake, eritrea, аудио
Africa's Future Map? Continent-Splitting Crack is Widening Faster, Scientists Warn
A geological phenomenon stretching over 2,000 miles across East Africa is unzipping the continent faster than geologists previously believed earlier this year. They projected that a new ocean could form in the coming years.
For millions of years, Africa has stood as the world’s second-largest continent, its landmass seemingly immovable. But deep beneath the surface, the Earth is telling a different story. Three tectonic plates are slowly pulling apart along the East African Rift Valley, a fracture system that researchers now say has entered an advanced and accelerating phase of continental breakup. What was once considered a geological footnote confined to distant timescales is now drawing urgent attention from researchers, who say the Turkana Rift on the continent's eastern flank has thinned to a critical point, setting the stage for a split that will one day see the region swallowed by a new ocean and redraw the map of the world.
African Currents set out to explore the East African Rift System: the geological forces driving today’s tectonic activity beneath the continent, how communities along the rift are responding, the economic opportunities it creates, the environmental hazards it poses, and the policies African nations should put in place. For insight, we reached out to Professor Athanas Macheyeki, head of the Department of Geology at the University of Dodoma in Tanzania.
"This structure [rift] goes beyond Ethiopia. It goes up to the northern part of Ethiopia, literally Djibouti, and other parts in the north [of Africa], but also it goes south [of Africa] from Mozambique down to Botswana [...]. Basically, I would say first of all that people shouldn't have to worry so much because this is a natural process that we have to live with. But whether people are aware or not? Some are aware, but they are aware in their own beliefs [...]. First of all, I should not consider the rift a big loss or as a threat all the time. We should also consider that it brings with it minerals and some natural resources, including tourism," Prof. Macheyeki explained.
Catch the full discussion on the African Currents podcast, presented by Sputnik Africa.
Listen to this episode on our website or
Telegram.►
Subscribe to and explore all the episodes of African Currents.
