Extreme rain destroys swathes of Darjeeling tea estates

KOLKATA - Torrential downpours that triggered deadly landslides and floods in India's Darjeeling region also destroyed swathes of premier tea estates, officials said on Oct 7.

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The deluge wiped out around 5 per cent of Darjeeling's renowned tea gardens.

"The flood has dealt a massive blow to the tea gardens," Mr Rajkumar Mondal, chairman of the Indian Tea Association's Dooars Chapter, told AFP news agency.

More than 950ha of tea plantations in Darjeeling's hills, known for producing high-quality brews with a protected Geographical Indication, "suffered drastic losses due to flooding", he said.

Darjeeling produces around 10,000 tonnes of tea each year across 17,500ha, according to the Tea Board of India.

The damage is another indication of how the intensity and unpredictability of rainfall in recent years reflect the worsening impact of climate change on Himalayan tea-growing regions.