Recent geological surveys and satellite imagery have provided compelling evidence of the African continent’s slow but steady split. These observations confirm the active splitting of the continent, as the East African Rift gradually widens.
It’s important to note that while this discovery is exciting, the rifting process will take tens of millions of years to completely split. To put it into perspective, currently, the plates are diverging at an average rate of 0.2 inches (7 millimeters) per year.
While the rift is currently above sea level, over time, it will widen and the crust will thin and sink. Eventually, a small seaway will begin to invade the rift zone, much like the Red Sea, transforming the geography of the region and creating its own separate small continent.