Mawmluh cave in Sohra, which is one of longest in the Indian subcontinent, has been selected as one of the ‘First 100 IUGS Geological Sites’ in the world by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS).
Locally known as Krem Mawmluh, the 4,500-metre-long cave is known for its stalagmite structures and other rock formations.
Mawmluh cave, the first cave that was explored by a British official in 1844, is one of the prominent tourist destinations in northeastern India.
Researchers from the United States who studied the cave for the past 50 years for growth of a stalagmite have found that there is an unusual connection between winter rainfall amounts in North East India and climatic conditions in the Pacific Ocean.
In 2018, the International Commission on Stratigraphy named the late Holocene the Meghalayan Age.
The cave led scientists to the Meghalayan Age associated with a major climatic event – very abrupt, critical and significant drought and cooling – 4,200 years ago. A stage of the Meghalayan Age is defined from a specific level in a stalagmite from this cave. According to geologists, speleothems from the Mawmluh cave provide important records of Holocene paleo-climate and paleo-monsoon.
A speleothem in Mawmluh cave, which indicates a dramatic worldwide climate event around 2250 BCE, has been chosen as the boundary stratotype.
Expressing his joy at the distinction, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma tweeted: “IUGS 60th Anniversary Event in Zumaia, Basque Coast UNESCO Global Geopark (Spain) will declare the First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites selected from 181 candidate sites from 56 countries.
“Mawmluh Cave in Sohra, Meghalaya known for the ‘Meghalayan Age’ has been selected by the IUGS UNESCO as one of the ‘FIRST 100 IUGS GEOLOGICAL SITES’ in the world”.
