Heavy rains and landslides across north Bengal and Jharkhand have left a trail of destruction, claiming lives, damaging homes, and crippling agricultural output. Darjeeling tea gardens and Jharkhand’s farmlands have borne the brunt, prompting authorities and industry stakeholders to assess the damage and plan recovery measures.
Darjeeling: Tea gardens and infrastructure hit hard
The recent flash floods and landslides in north Bengal have caused massive destruction in at least 30-35 tea gardens in Darjeeling, with reports of loss of plantation areas, deaths of workers, and damage to labourers’ houses, stakeholders said.
Darjeeling tea planters are now collecting data on the damage and will discuss the issues in a meeting proposed for Thursday.
"Heavy rain and landslides have severely hit tea gardens in the hills, with reports of loss of lives and extensive damage to property. There was no work or electricity for two to three days. However, power supply was restored on Wednesday. At least 50 per cent of 71 operational gardens in Darjeeling are severely affected," said Ashok Lohia, industry veteran and chairman of Chamong Tea.
SS Bagaria, chairman of the Bagaria Group, which owns three gardens in Darjeeling, told PTI that the industry's overall loss could be at least Rs 50 crore.
Roads have been severely damaged, and the government along with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) are working to clear debris. Lohia stressed the urgent need to make internal roads within estates motorable, as workers are unable to report for work.
"The autumn production in October-November, which accounts for 15 per cent of the annual output, is now in balance, and the loss will be severe if road communication is not restored at the earliest," he said, adding that tea bushes have been washed away and several estates have suffered permanent damage.
Sandip Mukherjee, principal adviser of the Darjeeling Tea Association, said: "Approximately 30 gardens were severely affected. Most of the damage was reported from estates in the western part of the hills, such as Mirik and Pokhriabong. On average, each of the affected gardens reported loss of tea-bearing land between 2-2.47 acres due to rain-triggered landslides."
At the Seeyok estate, Binod Mohan, owner of six gardens, reported two worker deaths and destruction of labourers’ houses. "Around 60-70 landslides—small and moderate—were reported in the 350-acre Seeyok garden, resulting in a loss of 20 acres of tea-bearing land," he said.
Overall, at least 32 people, including children, were killed as relentless rain triggered one of the worst landslides in a decade, isolating villages, sweeping away homes, and leaving hundreds of tourists stranded.
With disrupted production and logistics, the quantity of Darjeeling tea for upcoming auctions at the Kolkata Tea Auction Centre is expected to be low, potentially driving up prices for the aromatic variety.
Jharkhand: Monsoon devastation leaves hundreds dead and thousands displaced
Jharkhand faced one of its most intense monsoons in a decade between June and September, leaving behind widespread destruction. Heavy rainfall claimed at least 458 lives, damaged thousands of homes, and ravaged farmlands.
According to state data, 186 people were killed by lightning strikes and 178 drowned in rain-related incidents. Floods, landslides, and house collapses accounted for the remaining casualties.
The deluge destroyed 467 houses completely and partially damaged over 8,000, while crops across 2,390 hectares were lost, particularly in Ranchi, Gumla, Lohardaga, and Simdega districts. In Sahibganj alone, rising Ganga water displaced around 20,000 people.
"This year, Jharkhand recorded 1,199.5 mm of rainfall between June 1 and September 30, which is 18 per cent above normal," said Abhishek Anand, Director of Ranchi Meteorological Centre. "It is the highest rainfall the state has seen in the past decade. The last comparable figure was 1,101.8 mm in 2016."
Anand attributed the record rainfall to climate change and increased Bay of Bengal sea surface temperatures, which led to frequent low-pressure formations moving toward Jharkhand. "The Bay of Bengal remained unusually active this season, causing repeated heavy downpours across eastern and southeastern districts," he said.
Among districts, East Singhbhum recorded the highest rainfall at 1,669.5 mm, followed by Saraikela-Kharsawan (1,526.3 mm) and Ranchi (1,550.2 mm).
The IMD predicted a mild winter, or "pink cold," around Diwali and Chhath Puja, followed by potentially intense cold later in the season. Anand explained: "The severity of winter will depend on global factors like La Nina, changes in wind patterns, and snowfall in the Himalayan region."
While rainfall activity has begun to decline, the IMD forecasted isolated moderate rain with thunder and lightning until October 12, after which dry conditions are expected as the monsoon withdraws.