Headlines       Vol. 1 Issue 42-43

Mar 22- Apr 6,   1999

Meghalaya caves explored and mapped A caving expedition organised by the Maghalaya Adventurers Association throughly explored and mapped caves in and around Lumshong and Lukha valley area of Jaintia Hills district. The 16-member team included seven covers from the United Kingdom, seven from Germany, one from the USA and two from Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Mizoram. According to a release of the association, about 20 kms of cave passage was mapped, besides the Kotsati-Unkawab cave system which was 21.5 kms long, Synrang Ramiang, with a cave passage of 14.1 kms (the second largest in the Indian sub-continent), followed by Piel Khlieng Fouk (Khadum), with 9.6 kms. The mighty Synrang Ramiang is the longest single cave passage in the world (7.6 kms), and with a vertical range of 313 metres. It is also the deepest cave in the sub-continent. Besides, it also had one of the most beautifully decorated chambers to be found anywhere in the world with hundreds of cave pearls, the size of ping pong balls. The magnificent Piel Khlieng Fouk is definitely the finest resurgence cave in the country. Out of four kms. of main trunk passage three kms is of swiming section with a depth ranging from five to 10 metres, the release said. The release further said that during the expedition 60 species of cave lives were collected. As on date 113 caves have been fully explored and mapped in the State of Meghalaya. This is very significent in the context of the Indian sub-continent and has firmly established Meghalaya or rather India on the international caving map, the release added.

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