At an astounding 13,618 meters, Lungchun Khur has been confirmed by a big caving expedition in Meghalaya as the ninth longest limestone cave and the tenth longest cave in India. During the “Caving in the Abode of the Clouds Expedition” that took place from February 2–28, international teams documented 22,663 meters of cave passages that had never been explored before. With intricate networks of relic passageways, inlet formations, and boulder chokes, the recently ranked Lungchun Khur has enormous underground river passages that are up to 30 meters wide and high.
The discovery, which was located beneath the Muallian Spur, was especially noteworthy because specialists had previously thought that the region lacked large cave networks. The general secretary of the Meghalaya Adventurers Association (MAA), which coordinated the expedition in cooperation with international cavers, stated, “The discovery of Lungchun Khur and other large cave systems highlights Meghalaya’s immense potential for further subterranean discoveries.”
The limestone cave systems in three areas—Byrong, Jongria, and the Muallian Spur—were the main focus of the month-long expedition. The Meghalayan expedition explored eight caves in the Byrong area, mapping 27 cave systems in the Pongkoloi River region and Litang Basin. Notable discoveries included Canyon Sink and 13 blind shafts. The expedition also supported conservation efforts for the world’s largest known blind cave fish, Neolissochilus pnar, which have evolved to lose eyesight in complete darkness.
