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

Many families, Mr Reginold says, have not received aid for days, isolated by the South Asian island nation's worst 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 unaccounted for and destroyed 20,000 homes.

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

"My primary motivation why I wanted to do this, is to at least help them to have one meal," he shares. "And I was so happy 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 relief assistance is flowing in from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations.

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

Community Organizers Volunteer at Local Food Hub

In a Colombo suburb, activists who demonstrated in 2022 are now helping run a community kitchen that churns out meals.

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

"People 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 "continuation" of his volunteer work in 2016, when heavy rains and floods affected hundreds across the country.

The team have compiled hundreds of calls for assistance, shared them to authorities, and organized the delivery of food.

"Whatever we asked for, we got more than enough in response from the community," he says.

Digital Initiatives for Aid

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

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

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

Facing criticism over the handling of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all divisions" and "unite to restore the nation".

Critics have claimed authorities of ignoring weather warnings, which they say exacerbated the disaster's impact.

Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, arguing that the ruling party was trying to limit debate on the disaster.

In affected communities, however, there remains a sense of togetherness as people begin the cleanup after the floods.

"Ultimately, the satisfaction of helping someone else in a crisis makes that tiredness fade," the organizer wrote after putting in 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."