Scientists stunned as South Africa is rising out of the ocean

Scientists have been astonished to discover that parts of South Africa are gradually rising out of the ocean.

New measurements have revealed that the country is lifting by as much as two millimeters per year in certain areas — a significant geological change that could be linked to climate change.

Using highly precise GPS receivers, researchers observed this upward movement of the land. They also found that the most pronounced uplift occurred in areas lacking water.

Co-author Dr. Makan Karegar from the University of Bonn in Switzerland said: “This data showed an average rise of six millimeters between 2012 and 2020. We believe that it is also possible that a loss of groundwater and surface water is responsible for the land uplift.”

Fellow co-author Christian Mielke, also from the University of Bonn, explained to MailOnline: “The total mass of surface water, soil moisture, and groundwater is so large that it deforms the Earth's crust — like putting pressure on an elastic ball. Droughts are associated with the loss of these water storages. The loss of water mass due to the drought causes the Earth's crust to lift again.”

The uplift was most pronounced between 2015 and 2019 — a period marked by one of the worst droughts in South Africa’s history.

(QG - Source: The Daily Mail — Picture : © Unsplash)