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One of the planets I am building has a very large crescent shaped continent that I want to say came about when a super continent split and the areas below sea level flooded. Could this have happend?

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    $\begingroup$ Welcome to Worldbuilding SE. Your question is interesting. However, i have the feeling you might easily elaborate a bit, which could also help with getting answers that are a bit longer than "Yes". You may want to take the tour and maybe take a look ath the help center section to learn more about what are the dos and donts on this site. $\endgroup$
    – Burki
    Oct 22, 2015 at 8:41

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Not only could this have happened, but it has happened many times here on earth.

There is speculation about just how intense it was but the flooding of the Mediterranean basin here on earth could have been a cataclysmic event:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanclean_flood

It's a specific instance of an Outburst Flood.

You just need to have appropriately placed fault lines in the continent that pull it apart in the shape you want to then flood and the eventual flooding can be as fast or slow as you want depending on whether you lower the middle and then let water in or do it the other way around.

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  • $\begingroup$ For a more definite example, the area between the UK and France/Holland (now the North Sea and English Channel) was definitely once land - a very substantial amount of land to "lose" $\endgroup$
    – Jon Story
    Oct 22, 2015 at 14:35
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, that was through rising sea levels at the end of an ice age but still a good example, it's one of the ones listed on the Outburst Flood wiki page. $\endgroup$
    – Tim B
    Oct 22, 2015 at 15:08

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