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Sri Lankan actor and musician GK Reginold rides in a small craft through Colombo's suburbs, hoping to deliver food and water to those in urgent circumstances.

Some of the families, he explains, 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 catastrophic floods and landslides that killed more than 400 people, with hundreds missing and destroyed 20,000 homes.

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

"The main reason 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 announced.

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

But it will be a lengthy process to rebuild for Sri Lanka, which has seen its share of difficulties in recent years.

Community Organizers Volunteer at Local Food Hub

In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, activists who demonstrated in 2022 are now helping run a community kitchen that churns out food aid.

The protests 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 civic energy is being channelled toward cyclone relief.

"People came after work, some rotated shifts and some even used vacation time to be there," a social media activist 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 "continuation" of his volunteer work in 2016, when heavy rains and floods affected hundreds across the country.

The team have gathered hundreds of requests for help, sent the information to authorities, and organized the delivery of food.

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

Online Campaigns for Aid

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

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

Private companies have organized fundraising efforts, while media outlets have initiated an effort to provide food and essential items like soap and toothbrushes.

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

Opposition politicians have claimed authorities of disregarding weather warnings, which they say worsened the disaster's effects.

Recently, opposition lawmakers protested in parliament, claiming that the ruling party was trying to restrict debate on the disaster.

On the ground, however, there remains a feeling of unity as people begin the cleanup after the floods.

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

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