Earth Surface Crack ‘Happened in Days’
Posted on November 9th, 2009 by Paul Meehan
According to research undertaken by Atalay Ayele of Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, a 500 metre long, 60 metre deep crack in the Earth’s surface in Afar, Ethiopia, opened in several days. The eruption of the Dabbahu volcano is believed to have widened a rift in the African and Arabian tectonic plates; as volcanic magma spilled out, it entered the rift, ruptured the surface and caused the enormous crack.
Afar Depression
The scientists believe that the rift will continue to lengthen, and if it reaches the Ethiopian coast, it may fill with seawater and create a new sea, approximately the same size as the Red Sea. Localised areas may experience flooding before that, however.
In a month which sees the apocalyptic movie 2012 released, in which shifting plates cause a global catastrophe within days, scientists have indicated that the potential formation of a new sea may be slightly slower – several million years slower in fact!
Why not read up about plate tectonics on Intute or discover more about the region in the Intute World Guide to Ethiopia.
Map of Ethiopia
