🔗 Share this article

Sri Lankan performer GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, aiming to bring essential supplies to those in desperate need.

Many families, he explains, have gone without help for days, cut off by the South Asian island nation's most severe weather disaster in recent years.

Cyclone Ditwah lashed the country last week, bringing widespread destruction that killed more than 400 people, with hundreds unaccounted for and leveled 20,000 homes.

But the deluge has also inspired a rise in volunteerism, as people face what national leaders has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history.

"My primary motivation why I wanted to do this, 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 impacted by the disaster and a national emergency has been declared.

The military has sent helicopters for rescue operations, while humanitarian aid is flowing in from foreign governments and aid groups.

But it will be a lengthy process to recovery for the nation, which has seen its fair share of difficulties in recent years.

Community Organizers Volunteer at Community Kitchen

In a Colombo suburb, activists who protested in 2022 are now operating a makeshift kitchen that churns out meals.

The protests from three years ago were driven by a spiralling economic crisis that caused lack of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration erupted and led to political change. Now, that civic energy is being channelled toward cyclone relief.

"People came after work, some took turns and some even used vacation time to be there," one organizer explains.

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

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

The team have gathered hundreds of requests for help, shared them to authorities, and organized the distribution of food.

"Every request we made, we got more than enough in response from the community," he notes.

Digital Campaigns for Support

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

Another volunteer-backed website helps supporters find shelters and see what is most needed 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 management of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "set aside all political differences" and "come together to rebuild the nation".

Opposition politicians have accused authorities of ignoring forecasts, which they say exacerbated the disaster's impact.

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

In affected communities, however, there remains a sense of togetherness as people begin the cleanup after the floods.

"Ultimately, the joy of helping someone else to save lives makes that tiredness fade," one volunteer wrote after putting in long hours at relief sites.

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