From CK Nayak
NEW DELHI, June 15: Extreme hot and cold waves are affecting virtually every single place under the sun but Krem Puri, the world’s longest sandstone cave in Meghalaya, has remained unaffected.
It maintains an average 16 degrees temperature but naturally, rain or shine, according to IG News, a website.
This cave was discovered in 2016 by a group of scientists from eight countries including England, Australia and The Netherlands. Later, hydrologists, archaeologists, geologists and biologists stayed in Meghalaya for months together to explore the cave.
This cave feels naturally air conditioned as the outside temperature has no effect. There is no lack of oxygen as the air flows through its small cracks and entrances.
Located in the Mawsynram mountain range, Krem Puri is 24,583 meters long which is three times the height of Mount Everest. Entry and exit are difficult as there are many ways which lead to the cave.
Apart from being naturally air conditioned, Krem Puri is home to frogs, bats and giant hunter fish. This cave system also has fossils of certain dinosaur species, especially Mosasaurus, a giant reptile that lived around 66-76 million years ago.
It is believed that there are about 1,580 underground caves in Meghalaya and out of these, some 900 small and big caves have been discovered. Incidentally, before Krem Puri was mapped, the 16 km long Cueva del Saman in Venezuela was considered the world’s longest sandstone cave.
The sandstone cave Krem Puri is also India’s second longest cave in the general category after the limestone Krem Liat Prah-Umim-Labit system in Jaintia Hills which measures a little over 31 km.