SHILLONG: An expedition of international cavers made significant achievement in exploring Krem Puri in Mawsynram, the world’s longest sandstone cave.
This has brought fame to the villages of Laitsohum and Mawsynram.
Another discovery was the bone fossils of dinosaurs, especially of the giant reptile Mosasaurus (76 to 66 million years ago).
In a statement, Brian D. Kharpran Daly, general secretary of Meghalaya Adventurers’ Association, said the Mawsynram/Laitsohum areas comprised caves developed in sandstone or calcareous sandstone.
The main thrust of the expedition this year was the further extension of Krem Puri that was the find of the 2016 expedition. More concentrated efforts were put into the exploration of Krem Puri that was extended from 12,367m to 24,583m with very little leads left open.
“This sandstone cave has put the big limestone caves of Krem Tyngheng and Krem Kotsati behind by jumping up to the second slot as India’s second longest cave in the general category,” Brian said.
This year, the ‘International Caving in the Abode of the Clouds Expedition Team’ comprised 30 cavers drawn from the UK, Ireland, Austria, the Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland, Poland and members of the Meghalaya Adventurers’ Association. In addition to this, the expedition team was accompanied by four Italian scientists from La Venta who were specifically invited to give or clarify on a clearer picture and insight into the structure and genesis of the sandstone caves in Mawsynram area.
The 25-day exploration period was divided into two phases with the first (February 5-16) in the Sielkan/Sakwa/Mulian Area, East Jaintia Hills, where Krem Chympe was extended and 10 other new caves explored and mapped.
Following this, the second phase (February 18-March 1) focused on East Khasi Hills, especially the Mawsynram area where reconnaissance and exploration had been undertaken in much earlier years and later in 2016 and 2017. Here, four existing and partially explored caves and five new caves were explored and mapped. Overall, the 2018 expedition explored and mapped 22.8 km of new cave passages.