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Local actor and musician GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, aiming to deliver essential supplies to those in desperate need.

Some of the families, he explains, have not received aid for days, isolated by the country's most severe natural catastrophe in recent years.

Cyclone Ditwah lashed the country last week, bringing catastrophic floods and landslides that claimed the lives of more than 400 people, left hundreds unaccounted for and leveled 20,000 homes.

But the deluge has also inspired a rise in volunteerism, as people face what the president has described as the "most challenging natural disaster" in its history.

"My primary motivation for getting involved, is to at least ensure they get one meal," he shares. "And I was deeply gratified that I was able to do that."

More than one million people have been affected by the disaster and a state of emergency has been declared.

The armed forces has deployed helicopters for search and rescue, while humanitarian aid is flowing in from international partners and non-governmental organisations.

But it will be a long journey to recovery for the nation, which has seen its fair share of turmoil in recent years.

Activists Volunteer at Local Food Hub

In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, activists who demonstrated in 2022 are now operating a makeshift kitchen that produces food aid.

The demonstrations from three years ago were fuelled by a spiralling economic crisis that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Public anger exploded and led to a leadership shift. Now, that political activism is being channelled toward disaster response.

"People came after work, some rotated shifts and some even took leave to be there," a social media activist explains.

"We reactivated the group as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday," he says.

The organizer also views the kitchen as an "extension" of his volunteer work in 2016, when heavy rains and floods killed hundreds across the country.

Volunteers have compiled hundreds of requests for help, sent the information to authorities, and managed the distribution of food.

"Every request we made, we got an overwhelming amount in response from the community," he says.

Digital Initiatives for Aid

A flurry of activity is also happening online, where netizens have created a shared list to direct donations and helpers.

Another community-run website helps donors find relief camps and see what is in highest demand in those areas.

Local businesses have organized donation drives, while media outlets have initiated an campaign to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes.

Amid criticism over the handling of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all divisions" and "come together to restore the nation".

Critics have accused authorities of ignoring weather warnings, which they say exacerbated the disaster's effects.

Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, claiming that the ruling party was trying to restrict debate on the disaster.

On the ground, however, there remains a sense of togetherness as people pick up the pieces after the floods.

"Ultimately, the satisfaction of helping someone else to save lives makes that tiredness fade," the organizer wrote after working long hours at relief sites.

"Disasters are not new to us. But, the empathy and capacity of our hearts is larger than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."