35 new caves explored in Jaintia Hills

SHILLONG: 35 new caves have been explored and mapped in Jaintia Hills during the Abode of the Clouds Expedition, 2015.
“The expedition, held between February 2 to 26, explored and mapped 15.3 km of new cave passage,” the Meghalaya Adventures Association (MAA) general secretary Brian D Kharpran Daly said in a statement here on Thursday.
Kharpran said that expedition team visited Jaintia Hills district in order to continue the ongoing exploration in the Umkrypong area and to undertake new exploration in the Lakadong area of East Jaintia Hills.
He informed that the Abode of the Clouds Expedition Team comprised of 32 cavers drawn from Austria, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, USA and UK, besides the members of the Meghalaya Adventurers’ Association.
“In addition to this the expedition team was also accompanied by five scientists from India, Switzerland and the UK who conducted bio-speleological studies of the areas,” the MAA general secretary said.
Kharpran informed that the 25-day exploration period  in the Jaintia Hills was divided into two phases with the first being a week (2nd to 8th Feb) in the Umkrypong Area where out of eight new caves six were fully explored and mapped.
The second phase (9th to 26th Feb) focused on exploration in Lakadong area where preliminary exploration was undertaken in 2014.
“Here four existing and partially explored caves and 35 new caves were explored and mapped,” he said.