Darjeeling, West Bengal – After weeks of heavy rain and devastating landslides, normal life is back in the hill town famous for its tea estates, and tourists are already making their way back to the scenic hills.
“Everything’s fine now,” said Arun Ganguly, a visitor who completed a full tour of the city. “We’ve seen the cafés, the market, the cable car. Everyone should come here.”
Local businesses are feeling the relief too. Neeru Pradhan, owner of a hotel in Mirik, told reporters that tourists are returning now that an alternate road has opened up. “It used to be impossible to get in,” she said. “Now the traffic is easing and people are coming back, even if the numbers are still low.”
The rain‑driven disaster hit the region hard. Roughly 50,000 tea bushes – about 20 hectares – were washed away from the Mirik tea estates, a blow that world‑renowned producer Thurbu Tea Garden described as the worst in its 25‑year history. “I’ve seen storms before, but nothing like this,” said manager Suman Das. The loss comes at a critical time, he added, as the tea industry already struggles with price swings and limited export markets.
Mirik’s tea growers say the flood damaged 40‑50 hectares of land and threatened the crop that has already been harvested. The damage to roads has made it nearly impossible to move tea from factories to storage or to export ports, so unsold tea is at risk of spoiling. “If the government does not step in, we could see huge financial losses,” warned a Mirik tea official.
In West Bengal, the storm caused extensive damage to roads connecting Dudhia, Mirik and even Nepal. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee confirmed that 27 people, including residents from Nepal and Bhutan, lost their lives in the flooding and landslides that swept across North West Bengal.
Despite the hardship, locals and business owners remain hopeful. As new routes open and the weather clears, tourists are slowly returning, lifting spirits in Darjeeling’s bustling tea markets once again.
Source: aninews
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