Meghalaya: Sohra's Mawmluh Cave Selected for 'First 100 IUGS Geological Sites'

SHILLONG: The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) of UNESCO has selected the Mawmluh cave at Sohra in Meghalaya as one of the "First 100 IUGS Geological Sites" in the world.

Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma informed on Saturday about this latest development.

The Meghalaya Chief Minister took to Twitter to mention, "Mawmluh Cave in Sohra, Meghalaya known for the 'Meghalayan Age' has been selected by @theIUGS(@UNESCO) as one of the 'FIRST 100 IUGS GEOLOGICAL SITES' in the world."

He further explained that, as part of the 60th Anniversary Event of IUGS in Zumaia, Basque Coast, UNESCO Global Geopark(Spain) would declare the first 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites selected out of 181 candidate sites from 56 countries.

Mawmluh Cave is an old cave located near a small hamlet in Meghalaya, known as Mawmluh. It is located at a distance of 3.5 km from Cherrapunji Bus Stand. It is locally labelled as Krem Mawmluh. It is one of the top tourist spots in Cherrapuni and is considered one of the prominent caves in the region.

Krem Mawmluh is considered to be the fourth longest cave in the Indian subcontinent. It comprises 7 km of cave passages. At an altitude of 4,503 m, the cave definitely makes up a favourite spot for adventurers. The entry is located at a height of 10 feet above sea level. It is especially known for the stalagmite formations and other rock formations that exist inside. Five different rivers join together at a point inside the cave, consequently forming a pool inside the cave.

Notably, only one- fourth of the cave receives sunlight. The rest of the cave remains veiled in darkness. To go through the cave from one end to the other, one would require 3 to 4 hours. One is prone to feel dizzy due to the oxygen- deficient atmosphere inside the cave. People suffering from acute respiratory disorders are therefore advised to avoid visiting Mawmluh Cave. 

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