🔗 Share this article

Sri Lankan performer GK Reginold navigates a small craft through flooded neighborhoods, aiming to deliver food and water to those in desperate need.

Many families, Mr Reginold says, have gone without help for days, cut off by the country's worst weather disaster in memory.

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

But the flooding has also sparked a rise in community help, as people face what the president has described as the "most challenging 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 national emergency has been announced.

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

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

Community Organizers Volunteer at Community Kitchen

In a Colombo suburb, individuals who protested in 2022 are now operating a community kitchen that produces meals.

The protests from three years ago were fuelled by a severe economic downturn that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration exploded and led to a leadership shift. Now, that civic energy is being directed toward cyclone relief.

"Some volunteers came after work, some rotated shifts and some even used vacation time to be there," one organizer explains.

"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 community service in 2016, when torrential rain and floods affected hundreds across the country.

Volunteers have gathered hundreds of calls for assistance, 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 says.

Online Initiatives for Support

A flurry of activity is also happening on the internet, where netizens have created a public database to direct donations and volunteers.

Another community-run website helps supporters find shelters and identify what is in highest demand in those areas.

Local businesses have organized 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 "set aside all divisions" and "come together to restore the nation".

Critics have claimed authorities of disregarding weather warnings, 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.

On the ground, however, there remains a sense of unity 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 putting in long hours at aid centers.

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