Parts of Assam were once under sea: Study
A geological study from Nagaland University reveals that parts of Assam were covered by a shallow tropical sea approximately 50 million years ago. Researchers identified marine microfossils and sedimentary structures in the Sylhet Limestone deposits that indicate a warm, nutrient-rich marine environment.
Why it matters
This research provides essential insights into the geological evolution of northeast India and helps scientists understand ancient climate and tectonic conditions.
A significant swathe of present-day Assam was once under a warm, shallow tropical sea rich in microscopic marine life, a new study has revealed.
Two researchers from Nagaland University carried out a geological investigation of the Sylhet Limestone deposits in Karbi Anglong district’s Dillai Parbat to shed light on Assam’s sea link about 50 million years ago.
Sylhet Limestone, also known as Nummulitic Limestone, is a prominent middle-Eocene sedimentary rock formation (about 40–50 million years old) found in India’s northeastern region and Bangladesh. Composed of calcite, dolomite, and an abundance of marine microfossils, it is widely used as a raw material for cement, glass, and steel manufacturing.
Professor S.K. Srivastava of the university’s Department of Geology and research scholar Tsenchumo Lotha combined field investigations with laboratory analyses, including petrography and micropaleontology, for their study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Geosciences Research .
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