After heavy rains and seismic work on Monday, March 19, a huge rift formed in the East African rift valley, which indicates the impending continental transformations.
The crack stretches for 3000 kilometers in the Kenyan district of Narok. Its depth and width are more than 15 meters.
Geologists say that in a few million years the African continent will fall into two parts, together with the Somali tectonic plate, which departs from Nubia by 6-7 millimeters per year, and in the south – at a rate of 2.5 centimeters per year. The first includes the Great Rift Valley, which extends from the Horn of Africa to Mozambique.
Observing the African rift valley, scientists mark the stages of the continental fault. According to Kenyan geologist David Ahed, the movement of the earth led to the appearance of weak areas, where fault lines and cracks are formed, which are usually filled with volcanic ash, presumably from the nearby Longonot volcano.
In his opinion, the source of the movements is the shield volcano Sousva, which lies at the base of the Great Rift Valley with its history of tectonic and volcanic activity.
“You can not stop the geological process, because it comes from the depths of the earth’s crust,” he said, adding that more research is needed to understand the geology of the area and map the fault lines.
Formed at the beginning of last week, the rift affected the busy road of May Mahyu-Narok. The Kenyan government has instructed to fill the site with stones and cement so that vehicles can continue their journey. Houses in the area were also torn in two, including the house of an elderly woman, who was eating with her family when the ground opened beneath her feet.
