🔗 Share this article

Local actor and musician GK Reginold rides in a small craft through flooded neighborhoods, hoping to bring essential supplies to those in desperate need.

Some of the families, Mr Reginold says, have not received aid for days, cut off by the country's most severe weather disaster in recent years.

Cyclone Ditwah lashed the country last week, causing widespread destruction that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds missing and leveled 20,000 homes.

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

"The main reason why I wanted to do this, is to at least ensure they get one meal," Mr Reginold states. "And I was so happy that I was able to do that."

More than one million people have been impacted by the disaster and a national emergency has been announced.

The armed forces has deployed helicopters for search and rescue, while relief assistance is flowing in from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations.

But it will be a long journey to rebuild for Sri Lanka, which has seen its fair share of turmoil in recent years.

Community Organizers Pitch In at Local Food Hub

In a Colombo suburb, individuals who protested in 2022 are now operating a makeshift kitchen that produces food aid.

The demonstrations from three years ago were driven by a severe economic downturn that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration erupted and led to a leadership shift. Now, that civic energy is being directed toward disaster response.

"People came after work, some took turns and some even took leave to be there," one organizer states.

"We mobilized our network as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday," he says.

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

Volunteers have gathered hundreds of requests for help, shared them to authorities, and managed the delivery of food.

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

Digital Initiatives for Support

A wave of coordination is also happening online, where netizens have created a public database to channel resources and volunteers.

Another community-run website helps donors find shelters and identify what is most needed in those areas.

Local businesses have organized donation drives, while local television channels have initiated an effort to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes.

Amid criticism over the management of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "set aside all divisions" and "unite to restore the nation".

Critics have accused authorities of disregarding forecasts, which they say worsened the disaster's effects.

Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, claiming that the government was trying to limit debate on the disaster.

On the ground, however, there remains a feeling of unity as people begin the cleanup after the floods.

"Ultimately, the satisfaction of helping someone else in a crisis makes that exhaustion fade," the organizer wrote after putting in long hours at aid centers.

"Crises are not new to us. But, the compassion and size of our hearts is greater than the damage that occurs during a disaster."