A new ocean is forming

Scientists predict that within a few million years a gap of about 60km in the Afar valley (belonging to Ethiopia and Eritrea) could become a new ocean in Africa.

Cracks in the Afar valley taken by the ENVISAT satellite (Photo: yubanet.com) In September 2005, the Afar valley region experienced an earthquake accompanied by hundreds of tremors and volcanic activity. wide area has created a long and thin crack on the surface of the Earth. This crack is the result of a tectonic motion occurring underground at a depth of 5km.

To analyze this movement, geologists have for the first time used the data provided by the ENVISAT satellite of the European Space Agency (ESA). From the data on the scientists found the presence of magma - the mass of volcanic rock - accumulated underground from 2 to 9km deep. Instead of refluxing on the ground and possibly being spewed out by Gabho or Dabbahu volcanoes, this magma block has moved northward, "digging" an underground circuit with a length of about 60km.

This magma circuit causes the tension between tectonic plates to create cracks. According to Professor Tim Wright of Leeds University, the phenomenon takes place in the Afar valley will gradually increase and someday seawater will flow into the gap and connect the crack to the Red Sea so about a million years later, A new ocean will be formed.