🔗 Share this article

Local actor and musician GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, hoping to deliver essential supplies to those in urgent circumstances.

Many families, Mr Reginold says, have gone without help for days, isolated by the South Asian island nation's worst natural catastrophe in memory.

The powerful storm lashed the country last week, bringing catastrophic floods and landslides that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds missing and leveled 20,000 homes.

But the flooding has also sparked a rise in volunteerism, as people face what the president has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history.

"The main reason for getting involved, is to at least help them to have 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 relief assistance is flowing in from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations.

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 Pitch In at Community Kitchen

In a Colombo suburb, individuals who demonstrated in 2022 are now helping run 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 political change. Now, that civic energy is being channelled toward disaster response.

"Some volunteers came after work, some rotated shifts 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 considers 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, shared them to authorities, and managed the delivery of food.

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

Online Campaigns for Aid

A flurry of activity is also happening online, where social media users have created a shared list to channel resources and volunteers.

Another volunteer-backed website helps supporters find shelters and see what is most needed in those areas.

Private companies have launched fundraising efforts, while local television channels have initiated an campaign to provide food and essential items like soap and toothbrushes.

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

Opposition politicians have accused authorities of ignoring weather warnings, 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 togetherness as people pick up the pieces after the floods.

"Ultimately, the joy of helping someone else in a crisis makes that tiredness fade," one volunteer wrote after working long hours at relief sites.

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