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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 urgent circumstances.

Many families, he explains, have gone without help for days, isolated by the South Asian island nation's most severe natural catastrophe in memory.

The powerful storm struck the country last week, bringing widespread destruction that claimed the lives of more than 400 people, left hundreds missing 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 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 impacted by the disaster and a state of emergency has been declared.

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

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

Community Organizers Volunteer at Local Food Hub

In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, individuals who protested in 2022 are now operating a makeshift kitchen that churns out food aid.

The demonstrations from three years ago were driven by a spiralling economic crisis that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration exploded and led to a leadership shift. Now, that political activism is being directed toward cyclone relief.

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

"We reactivated the group 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 heavy rains and floods killed hundreds across the country.

The team 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 notes.

Online Campaigns for Aid

A wave of coordination is also happening online, where social media users have created a public database to channel resources and helpers.

Another community-run website helps supporters find relief camps and see what is most needed in those areas.

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

Amid criticism over the handling of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all political differences" and "come together to restore the nation".

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

Recently, opposition lawmakers protested in parliament, arguing that the government was trying to restrict debate on the disaster.

In affected communities, however, there remains a sense of togetherness as people pick up the pieces after the floods.

"In the end, the satisfaction of helping someone else in a crisis makes that exhaustion fade," one volunteer wrote after putting in long hours at relief sites.

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