ABSTRACT
Landslips are a widespread cause of disaster in the humid tropics. As the influence of rainfall on landslips differs substantially, depending upon landslide dimensions, kinematics and material involved, accuracy in landslip prediction increases with knowledge of rainfall totals and intensities preceding events. Numerous case studies have recognized the importance of antecedent rainfall (AR) as the controlling agent of the soil moisture in slopes. The attribution of AR as the main cause of the deep landslips is supported not only by the fact of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season being the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history. In the study area, gray shale beds form the base aquiclude of the Wild Cane River, a tributary of the Rio Grande, the beds of which dip steeply under regolith and under humid-tropical plantation and rain forest vegetation with rainfall totals exceeding 3500 mm p.a.
