Kef Toghobeit Cave

Kef Toghobeit
Location near Bab Taza, Morocco
Coordinates 35°05′20″N 5°08′27″W / 35.088953°N 5.1407694°W / 35.088953; -5.1407694Coordinates: 35°05′20″N 5°08′27″W / 35.088953°N 5.1407694°W / 35.088953; -5.1407694
Depth 722 m
Length 3,918 m

Kef Toghobeit is a karst cave near the settlement of Bab Taza in Chefchaouen Province, Tangier-Tétouan, in northern Morocco. Currently known to be 4,078 m (13,379 ft) long and 722 m (2,369 ft) deep, it is the deepest cave in Morocco, and the third deepest cave in Africa.[1][2] Although Kef Toghobeit has been well-explored, its full extent is not yet known.[3] Indeed, the karst topography of the Rif mountain range where the cave begins has barely been mapped - just 1000 caves are known in Morocco, and the geology would suggest that more than this exist.[1]

Topography and formation

Kef Toghobeit is just one of over a thousand caves in a 30,000 square kilometre area of Karst formation in Morocco.[1] The cave formed in the Rif mountain range, which is primarily formed of relatively soft minerals such as dolostone and limestone.[1] Winter snowfall and rainfall add up to an annual precipitation rate of 600 to 1000 mm. The heavy precipitation quickly erodes the soft minerals, creating deep caves where the water wore away at the stone.

The interior of Kef Toghobeit is covered in loose boulders and rubble.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gunn, ed. by John (2003). Encyclopedia of caves and karst science. New York [u.a.]: Dearborn. p. 26. ISBN 1579583997.
  2. ↑ McWhirter, Norris, ed. (1977). Guinness book of records (24th ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatioes Ltd. p. 62. ISBN 090042480X.
  3. ↑ Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 201. ISBN 0-89577-087-3.
  4. ↑ Waltham, Tony (1974-01-01). Caves. Crown Publishers.
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