Over the past 5,000 years, East Africa has dried out.Now, new research finds that this change may be making the continent pull apart faster.
Faults in the East African Rift Zone have sped up as the levels of large lakes have dropped, according to research published in November in the journal Scientific Reports.
The findings highlight the two-way relationship between the climate and plate tectonics, said study senior author Christopher Scholz, a geologist, physicist and professor emeritus at Columbia University.
“Usually it is something we think about the other way around: Mountains build, and that changes the local or regional climate,” Scholz told Live Science. “But it can work the other way around too.”
Scholz and his colleagues conducted their research at Lake Turkana in Kenya, which is 155 miles (250 kilometers) long, 19 miles (30 km) wide, and up to 400 feet (120 meters) deep in places. That’s nothing,however,compared with the level more than 5,000 ye
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East African Rift System & Climate Change
Table of Contents
The East African rift System (EARS) is experiencing accelerated rifting, potentially linked to regional climate change and increased earthquake activity, according to recent research. This acceleration is evidenced by changes in sedimentation rates in Lake Turkana,Kenya,and is being further investigated through studies of water level fluctuations in Lake Malawi.
Geological Context of the East African rift System
The East African Rift System is a 3,000-kilometer (1,864 miles) active continental rift zone stretching from the afar region of Ethiopia to Mozambique. United States Geological Survey It represents the early stages of a continental split, where the African plate is in the process of dividing into the Somali and Nubian plates. This process involves volcanic activity, faulting, and the formation of grabens (down-dropped blocks of land). the rifting is not a single, continuous break, but rather a series of interconnected rift segments.
Climate Change and Rift Acceleration
Recent research published in Scientific Reports suggests a correlation between climate change and the acceleration of rifting in the EARS. Muirhead et al. (2025) The study focuses on Lake Turkana, where sediment core analysis reveals increased sedimentation rates over the past 10,000 years, indicating faster basin subsidence. The researchers propose that changes in precipitation patterns, specifically increased rainfall and subsequent loading of the rift valley with sediment, contribute to the weakening of the lithosphere and accelerate the rifting process. This is as increased water load can increase stress on the underlying crust.
Example: The study found that periods of higher lake levels in Lake turkana coincided with increased fault activity and basin subsidence, suggesting a direct link between climate-driven water loading and rifting.
Earthquake Frequency and Regional Stress
The research suggests that the accelerated rifting may be contributing to increased seismic activity in the region. USGS – Earthquakes in Africa While the EARS is inherently seismically active, the changing stress regime caused by accelerated rifting could lead to more frequent and potentially larger earthquakes. The original source states that Scholz believes more pronounced earthquakes are prevalent now compared to 8,000 years ago, but this claim requires further independent verification beyond the cited study. Currently,there is no widespread consensus on a significant increase in major earthquake frequency,but localized increases in seismicity are observed in areas of active rifting.
Example: The 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquakes, while not directly within the EARS, demonstrate the potential for devastating consequences from increased seismic activity in regions with complex fault systems. National Geographic – Turkey-Syria Earthquake
Lake Malawi Research and Continental Separation
Ongoing research at Lake Malawi aims to understand the long-term relationship between climate and continental separation. Nature – Lake Malawi By analyzing water level changes over 1.4 million years, scientists hope to reconstruct past climate conditions and their impact on the rift valley’s evolution. Changes in water volume within these large lakes can considerably alter stress patterns within the lithosphere, potentially influencing the rate of continental breakup.
Example: Paleoclimate records from lake malawi reveal cycles of wet and dry periods that correlate with changes in the Earth’s orbital parameters, providing insights into long-term climate variability and its potential impact on tectonic processes.
Breaking News Check (as of 2026/01/26 01:00:15):
As of this date, there have been no major, globally reported developments that fundamentally alter the findings of the Muirhead et al. (2025) study or the general understanding of the EARS. Seismic activity continues to be monitored in the region, and research on the interplay between climate and tectonics is ongoing.Volcano Revelation – East Africa Rift Valley
