TUILUT BAKPUK
24.214300,92.673300
Description
Two subsequent sinkholes (cave entrances, potholes) represent an immature stage of a retrograding waterfall: The subterranean weathering proceeds the surficial weathering. SITUATION: About a kilometre from Kolasib town (note 2) and within the Kolasib Communal Development Block. A steep valley to the approximate east-south-east (against the local dip) functions as a catchment area of some 2 or 3 square kilometres. The valley descends against the local dip and levels out some 200 m above the waterfall. The stream sinks about 100 m above the falls into a zigzagging series of (sometimes?) water filled rift passages with ()-shaped cross sections. The sink was said to drain even the peak flows of the rainy season completely (Vanlalruata, personal communication 1999.01.27) but was found to be water logged in 2001.05.01. Then, a stagnant pool covered an area of estimated 80 square metres, about a metre below the surrounding level valley floor. CAVE DESCRIPTION: In early 1994 the explorer Vanlalruata (personal communications 1999.01.27, 2001.05.01) descended the orographic first sinkhole (circa 2 by 5 m wide) and reached a landing place 15 feet (circa 5 m) below and 2 feet (half a metre) above the water level. Partly swimming and partly chimneying submerged in water he negotiated 15 m of zigzagging rift passage (three sections: First 5 m long and 1.2 m wide straight ahead, second 5 m long and 1.5 m wide to the right hand side, and third 5 m long and 1.2 m wide to the left hand side). The distal end of the rift, again lit by daylight, is an impenetrable fissure some 6 m below the second sinkhole entrance. Vanlalruata dived the low visibility waters at the end of a rope to a depth of 20 feet (circa 6 m) but found no possible continuations. The cave walls converge above the water to form a rift blocked by boulders and roots. Below the water they appear to converge to an impenetrable slot which might take a considerable flow. Unspecified "local people" measured a distance of 110 feet (33.5 m) from an unknown point towards an unknown direction and inclination to various impenetrable points where water "oozes out."
NOTE 1: Kolasib or »Kolosib« N24°14': E092°42' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) is indicated as »Kolasib« both on AMS sheet NG46-14 Sylhet (U502 series, 1960 edition) and in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006) map 63 G1 on the National Highway 54 from Aizawl (N23°44': E092°43') to Silchar (N24°49': E092°48') in Assam state, Cachar district, in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006) map 46 C5.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1970.06.10: A boy and a girl of the Rangkhuma family drowned. Only the girl's body was found. 1994, spring: The explorer Vanlalruata entered at the end of a rope, diveed without light and found no continuation. 2001.05.01: Vanlalruata, Lalneihsanga, Betsy Chhakchhuak, Neil Sootinck, Gregory D. Diengdoh and H. Daniel Gebauer encountered a stagnant pool, drowning not only the cave but also its environs.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45.9 | CACHAR CAVE (Smaller) | ||
| 45.9 | YONI DVARA, Bhuban Pahar | ||
| 52.2 | THINKRA (Cave below) | ||
| 58.5 | BUKPUI, Thanlon | ||
| 63.3 | BINNAKANDI TUNNEL | ||
| 76.9 | CHANDIKA WELL, Kacha Kanthi | ||
| 80.9 | LONGKAIPHUM, Longkaiphun (Cave near) | ||
| 87.3 | TONGLON CAVE | ||
| 87.8 | KHNAI, Umkyrpong (Krem) |