Due to shifting tectonic plates, Africa may split in two along a rift more than 3,200 km long and faster than previously thought. The first signs of this process appeared in 2005 when more than 50 km of cracks appeared in Ethiopia. 2018 also saw a rift in Kenya.
These faults in the earth were formed 30 million years ago when the African plate split apart.
Until recently, geologists believed that Africa would split in two in 5-10 million years, but recent data suggest that it will happen much sooner.
The fault increases by 0.8-2.5 cm per year, but earthquakes can accelerate this process, complicating accurate prediction. Eventually, Somalia, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and half of Kenya may form a massive island off the coast of Africa.
