Shillong, March 25: A multinational team of explorers has mapped more than 22 km of previously uncharted cave passages in Meghalaya during an expedition conducted in February, officials said on Tuesday.

The “Caving in the Abode of the Clouds Expedition 2025,” held from February 2 to 28, documented 22,663 metres of new cave systems across the state. The expedition was supported by the Meghalaya Adventurers Association and funded by the state government. It involved 24 cavers from Austria, Germany, India, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United Kingdom.

Ahead of the main expedition, surveys in East Khasi Hills district covered eight caves, adding 6,210 metres of mapped passages. These included extensions in Krem Riblai, Krem Khla, Krem Wallang, and Krem Shanguh 1.

The main phase of exploration focused on the Jongria and Muallian Spur areas near Tangnub village, where an additional 16,453 metres of cave passages were recorded.

Among the findings, Lungchung Khur was identified as a major discovery. Measuring 13,618 metres, it is now ranked as the 10th longest cave in India and the ninth longest limestone cave in the country. The cave system includes extensive river passages and calcite formations. Of the 27 caves explored during the expedition, 18 were newly documented.

Officials stated that the findings contribute to ongoing efforts to map and study Meghalaya’s cave systems. Samples of Neolissochilus pnar, a blind cave fish species, were also collected for research and conservation purposes.

In South West Khasi Hills district, the length of Krem Amarsang cave was extended to 1,564 metres, with further exploration ongoing.

The expedition is part of the long-running “Caving in the Abode of the Clouds” project, which began in 1992. With the latest discoveries, the total mapped cave length in Meghalaya has reached 573.6 km.