The East African Rift System (EARS), a 6,400-kilometer fault line stretching from Mozambique to the Red Sea, is actively splitting the African continent, potentially leading to the formation of a new ocean [1, 4, 12]. This geological transformation, driven by the Somali Plate pulling away from the Nubian Plate, has been ongoing for approximately 25 million years [1, 2, 4].
Visible Changes and Current Activity
Evidence of this separation is increasingly visible, with engineers mending warped highways and farmers encountering new hot springs [1]. GPS data confirms the land is stretching [1]. The rift's activity includes frequent earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the opening of surface fissures [4, 11]. In January 2025, a series of moderate earthquakes struck Ethiopia, causing damage and evacuations [11].
Implications and Future Outlook
Scientists estimate that a new ocean could form in one to five million years [4, 7, 10, 13]. This would result in parts of Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia becoming a separate continent [3, 4, 7]. Landlocked countries like Uganda and Zambia could gain coastlines, boosting trade and economies [3, 4, 6, 7]. New marine ecosystems could also emerge [6, 10].
However, the changes also pose challenges, including the need for updated infrastructure and environmental monitoring [10]. The East African Rift System offers a unique opportunity to observe continental breakup in real-time [1, 10].