Elgeyo escarpment is a fault-scarp caused by post-Miocene faulting.
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...
beds are still visible. The
escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that forms as a result of faulting or erosion and separates two relatively level areas having different elevations.
The terms ''scarp'' and ''scarp face'' are often used interchangeably with ''escar ...
is part of the western wall of the
Great Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley is a series of contiguous geographic trenches, approximately in total length, that runs from Lebanon in Asia to Mozambique in Southeast Africa. While the name continues in some usages, it is rarely used in geology as it i ...
.
The northwest part of
Kenya
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has three main geographic zones running in parallel north to south. There is the highland plateau, which rises gradually to 3,350 meters above sea level, on the
Cherangani Hills
The Cherang'any Hills are a range of hills in the western highlands of Kenya. The hills are one of Kenya's five main forests and catchment areas. The highlands, the large central plateau, is divided by the Mau Escarpment which rises from the bor ...
. In the intermediate zone is the Elgeyo Escarpment which rapidly gives way to the lower
Kerio Valley
Kerio Valley lies between the Tugen Hills and the Elgeyo Escarpment in Kenya. It sits at an elevation of 1,000 meters in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya, Great Rift Valley.
Geography
The isolated Kerio Valley is situated in a narrow, long strip that ...
. The yearly rainfall in the escarpment area ranges between 100–140 cm.
[
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References
{{Coord, 0.8620, N, 35.5760, E, source:wikidata, display=title
Escarpments of Kenya
Great Rift Valley