A heavy downpour of 465 mm within 48 hours (which is equivalent to nearly 12 days’ rainfall in the rainiest month i.e. July) was the cause for several destructive landslides claiming 7 lives and huge property in the Darjeeling town on 26th and 27th May, 2009 triggered by the cyclone Aila. The present paper deals with the detailed investigation of two such most devastating landslides occurred at Frimal Village and Haridas Hatta in the Darjeeling town. In the Frimal Village, landslide reoccurred five times on a single spot within a period of 18 hours completely demolishing 22 houses below and three dunny (safety) tanks within the slide itself. No casualty was recorded except huge loss of property. But in the Haridas Hatta, landslide occurred only one time with high intensity partially damaging a house at the lower level and claimed seven lives. It is found that reckless construction of multi-storied buildings and their pressure, unmanaged building and community outlets, alteration of the natural setup of the soil by frequent digging for funeral purpose contributed the physical changes in the slope character. These changes being associated with scanty vegetation cover on the soil surface and poorly maintained plants of the tea garden incapable of holding soil on the steep slopes were the causes of such devastations following heavy gush of rain by the cyclone Aila.
Destructive landslides, cyclone Aila, reckless construction, community outlets, frequent digging, physical changes in slope character
