Earth cracks
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Adapted from Google Earth A massive crack suddenly appeared in Kenya, prompting new discussion on the breakup of Africa into two land masses. Measured at about 15 metres deep and 19 metres across, the crack in the Earth was spotted after a period of heavy rainfall. As the Somali and Nubian plates move apart, the region can , as it did in southwestern Kenya last week. Advertisement In south-west Kenya, a huge crack appeared in the ground suddenly.
A giant crack opened up in Kenya, cutting off a busy road after heavy rains. The split in the ground emerged in Rift Valley, a region of rifts and tectonic faults stretching over 6000 km in length, from Syria to Mozambique. Here's how two plates split apart: The lithosphere, which is broken up into tectonic plates, is made of the Earth's crust and the upper part of the mantle. Over millions of years, the eastern edge of Africa will begin to be separated from the rest of Africa by a small and shallow sea.
Earth cracks - To me it looks pretty cut and dry.
Advertisement In south-west Kenya, a huge crack appeared in the ground suddenly. This is perhaps the first sign that Africa will split into two continents. According to the reports, the crack is as much as 50 feet deep in some areas and is almost 20 meters wide. The crack appeared in the East African Rift Valley which runs from the Horn of Africa. It passes through countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania and goes to Mozambique. There are many other weak spots in the valley as well. According to local reports, the cracks were filled with volcanic ash from nearby Mt. Longonot, however, the recent heavy falls exposed the cracks. National Geographic has stated that the rifts in the area are getting larger because the two tectonic plates, the Somali and the Nubian, are moving away from each other. There are chances that they might separate completely in a million years time period. There are people who are not convinced that the crack might predict a continental breakup. It was noted that there were no reports of a strong earthquake in the area which is just the west of Nairobi. There are also chances that the crack is an inactive fossil fuel which was covered by sediments before the rainfall washed all of it away. The Kenya Geological survey believes that the crack was caused by the groundwater flow from the heavy rain. The rain came in the area after a long period of drought and might have caused erosion. To me, it looks pretty cut and dry.
There are many other weak spots in the valley as well. Families who lived near the crack started moving out, worried about their safety. There are people who are not convinced that the crack might predict a continental breakup. Photo Credit: CitizenTV Kenay via Twitter Then there are those who believe the crack is entirely new. The northern region of Kenya will likely be the first region to break apart, University of London researcher Lucia Perez Diaz wrote in the Conversation, because it is coated with volcanic rocks. A massive crack tore through several kilometres of Kenya last week, causing a highway that leads into Nairobi to collapse, may be the latest sign that Africa will one day split into two, according to geologists. Rifts lead to recognizable land formations — that is, a series of depressions surrounded by higher ground. Splitting a continent in two is quite common, for instance, it led to the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. The surface expression of the rifting is responsible for a wide zone of volcanism, seismic activity, uplift and subsidence of the ground, and the creation of fissures and cracks. Over millions of years, the eastern edge of Africa will begin to be separated from the rest of Africa by a small and shallow sea. earth crack in kenya
