04/08/2025
the eastern part of the African continent is indeed slowly splitting apart, and a new ocean is expected to form as a result. This process involves tectonic plates shifting and separating, creating a rift valley that will eventually fill with water. The formation of this new ocean is a gradual process, taking millions of years.
The Earth's crust is made up of several large, irregularly shaped plates that are constantly moving. These movements can cause plate to collide, slide under, or pull apart from each other.
In the eastern part of Africa, three tectonic plates (the Nubian, Somali, and Arabian plates) are pulling away from each other. This ongoing separation is creating the East African Rift Valley.
As the plates move apart, a rift valley forms. This is a depression in the Earth's surface, and in the case of the East African Rift, it's a region of ongoing geological activity.
Over millions of years, the rift valley will widen and deepen. Eventually, it's predicted that it will be filled by the ocean, creating a new body of water and effectively splitting the eastern part of Africa into two landmasses.