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

Some of the families, he explains, have not received aid 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 claimed the lives of more than 400 people, left hundreds unaccounted for and destroyed 20,000 homes.

But the flooding has also sparked a rise in community help, as citizens face what the president 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 so happy that I was able to do that."

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

The armed forces has deployed helicopters for rescue operations, while humanitarian aid is arriving from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations.

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

Activists Pitch In at Community Kitchen

In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, individuals who demonstrated in 2022 are now helping run a community kitchen that produces meals.

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

"Some volunteers came after work, some rotated shifts 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 considers the kitchen as an "extension" of his volunteer work in 2016, when heavy rains and floods affected hundreds across the country.

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

"Whatever we asked for, we got an overwhelming amount in response from the community," he says.

Digital Initiatives for Aid

A wave of coordination is also happening on the internet, where netizens have created a public database to direct donations and helpers.

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

Local businesses have launched donation drives, while media outlets have initiated an campaign to provide food and essential items like soap and toothbrushes.

Facing criticism over the management of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all divisions" and "unite to rebuild the nation".

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

Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, claiming that the ruling party 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 satisfaction of helping someone else in a crisis makes that tiredness fade," one volunteer wrote after working long hours at aid centers.

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