India's Tea Industry Devastated by Unprecedented Floods

Edited by: Tetiana Martynovska 17

Early October 2025 has brought a wave of destruction to India's famed Darjeeling region, as torrential rains triggered widespread flooding and devastating landslides. This natural calamity has inflicted a severe blow to the heart of the country's renowned tea industry, with initial estimates indicating that approximately 5% of Darjeeling's precious tea gardens have been lost. The economic and environmental repercussions are profound, casting a long shadow over this vital sector. Across the Darjeeling, Dooars, and Terai regions, numerous tea estates have found themselves inundated by the relentless floodwaters.

In Darjeeling itself, nearly half of the region's 87 tea estates have been directly impacted, forced to halt operations due to landslides and the pervasive flooding. The Mechpara Tea Estate in the Dooars region has borne witness to particularly severe damage, with its valuable tea bushes and plantations succumbing to the destructive force of the floodwaters. This event underscores the vulnerability of these cherished landscapes to extreme weather patterns. The human cost of this disaster is also significant, with at least 36 confirmed deaths attributed to the landslides. Rescue operations have been a critical focus, working tirelessly to evacuate hundreds of stranded tourists and provide aid to affected communities.

The immediate economic fallout for the tea industry is substantial, prompting urgent calls for government intervention and support to navigate this crisis. This devastating event serves as a stark reminder of the increasing impact of climate change on vital agricultural sectors. Research indicates that climate change is exacerbating the intensity and unpredictability of rainfall in Himalayan tea-growing regions, leading to a worsening of such disasters. Intense downpours contribute to waterlogging and soil erosion, while prolonged dry spells necessitate reliance on irrigation, further straining resources. The damage to Darjeeling's tea gardens is a tangible manifestation of these broader environmental shifts.

Furthermore, the conversion of forest land to tea plantations has been identified as a contributing factor to increased soil loss, with annual average soil loss in tea plantations being significantly higher than in forested areas. This highlights the complex interplay between land use and environmental stability. The tea industry, which produces around 10,000 tonnes of tea annually across 17,500 hectares, faces not only the immediate aftermath of this disaster but also the long-term challenges posed by a changing climate.

Sources

  • Yahoo

  • Industry stakeholders flag washout in brew belt due to landslides and flash floods

  • Heavy rain floods devastate North Bengal tea gardens industry seeks urgent govt aid

  • Rescuers in India search for missing after landslides kill 24 in Darjeeling region

  • Heavy rain and Bhutan water surge: North Bengal tea gardens submerged

  • There's trouble brewing with Darjeeling tea

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