2024 will be remembered as a watershed year in Kerala’s history. Exactly a century after the Great Flood of 1924, a catastrophic landslide wiped out the towns of Chooralamala and Mundakkai in Wayanad district, leaving behind unprecedented destruction and loss. In the same year, Kerala’s BJP unit achieved a historic milestone by securing its first parliamentary seat, with actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi. Meanwhile, the long-anticipated release of the Hema Committee report shook the Malayalam film industry to its core.

As the year draws to a close, here’s a look back at the events that shaped Kerala in 2024:

Wayanad landslides
In the early hours of July 30, 2024, torrential rain triggered devastating landslides in the villages of Chooralamala and Mundakkai in Wayanad. Over 250 lives were lost, with more than 100 people still reported missing. In one of the largest search-and-rescue operations witnessed in India, the Army, IAF, NDRF, SDRF, and volunteer groups collaborated to salvage what they could. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the disaster site and pledged support for the affected areas, including Punchirimattom. However, the Kerala government has accused the Centre of failing to meet its demands for rehabilitation and relief.

Hema Committee report
After five years of secrecy, the Hema Committee report on the Malayalam film industry was finally made public in August. The findings revealed systemic abuse and exploitation within the industry, prompting a surge of #MeToo allegations against celebrities, including actors Siddique, Mukesh, and Jayasurya. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has since registered over 30 cases based on complaints.

Vizhinjam port
Following controversies involving the Adani Group and delays, the Vizhinjam port completed four months of trial operations in December, paving the way for its commercial launch. The first mothership San Fernando carrying cargo from the Xiamen Port in China called at the Vizhinjam international seaport, India’s first deep-water container transshipment port, on July 11 morning. Due to incomplete road connectivity, the port will initially focus on transshipment operations.

Shirur landslide and Arjun
The emotional ordeal of a Kozhikode family seeking closure after a landslide in Ankola, Karnataka, captured public attention. The body of 32-year-old truck driver Arjun and his timber-laden vehicle was retrieved from the Gangavalli River after a gruelling 72-day search operation that many had deemed impossible.

Elections
For the first time, Kerala elected a BJP MP to the Lok Sabha. Suresh Gopi’s victory in Thrissur earned him a dual ministerial role as Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Tourism. However, his campaign was not without controversy. Opposition parties claimed his dramatic arrival during the Thrissur Pooram crisis won him votes, while the ruling LDF struggled to defend allegations involving Pinarayi Vijayan’s close aide, Ajith Kumar.

The year also witnessed high political drama during by-elections in Wayanad, Palakkad, and Chelakkara. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her electoral debut in Kerala, winning the Wayanad Lok Sabha byelection by over 4 lakh votes.

The state also saw a series of interesting defections this year around election time, such as PV Anvar, Sandeep Varier and P Sarin.

Kuwait fire
In June, a fire at a six-storey labour housing facility in southern Kuwait claimed over 50 lives, including 24 Malayalis. Several workers were trapped inside, and many who jumped from the building to escape were fatally injured.

Pantheerankavu case
The state also recorded a series of domestic abuse cases including the sensational Pantheerankavu case. In May, Rahul P Gopal and his family members were booked after his wife alleged that he attempted to strangulate her week after marriage. Though the police slapped charges of domestic violence and attempted murder on Gopal, the woman retracted her statement later. The High Court quashed the proceedings against him and the couple started living together. However, Rahul landed in jail in November after the woman was admitted to the hospital with injuries.

Human-animal conflict
The State also witnessed an increasing number of man-animal conflicts in 2024. The Forest Department's unsuccessful attempt to capture Belur Makhna and the RRT's fatal attempt to capture Thaneer Komban remain vivid in the State's memory. Individuals including a cameraman lost their lives to elephant attacks in Palakkad's Palampuzha, Idukki's Chinnakanal, Ernakulam's Kuttampuzha and Kothamangalam. According to official government figures, between April 1, 2016 and November 11, 2024, wildlife attacks in the state have claimed the lives of 940 people and injured 7,917 others. The State is also witnessing widespread protests against the presence of wild animals in populated regions.

In another incident, a massive fish kill was reported on the banks of the Periyar River in May. The effluents from industries in the Eloor-Edayar industrial area in Ernakulam were considered to be the cause of the incident.

Tragic deaths and suicides
Sidharthan: The suicide of 20-year-old veterinary student JS Sidharthan in February, following brutal ragging at Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, shocked the state. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) concluded that repeated physical assault, humiliation and harassment by his college mates, abetted him to die by suicide.

Naveen Babu: The suicide of Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu following a public criticism by former Kannur District Panchayat President Divya stirred up a political storm in the state in October.

Anna Sebastian: The death of EY employee Anna Sebastian in September sparked nationwide debates about toxic work environments after her mother’s open letter to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani went viral.

MT's demise
On Christmas Day, the state mourned the passing of MT Vasudevan Nair, a literary giant whose contributions spanned novels, short stories, screenplays, and more.

Accidents
In December, two tragic accidents gripped Kerala. Five first-year MBBS students from Government TD Medical College lost their lives in a road collision in Alappuzha. Two weeks later, four schoolgirls from Karimba were killed when a truck skidded and fell on them as they were returning home.