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Local performer GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, hoping to deliver food and water to those in desperate need.

Some of the families, Mr Reginold says, have gone without help for days, isolated by the country's most severe weather disaster in recent years.

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

But the deluge has also inspired a surge in volunteerism, as citizens face what national leaders has described as the "most challenging natural disaster" in its history.

"My primary motivation for getting involved, 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 armed forces has sent helicopters for search and rescue, while humanitarian aid is flowing in from foreign governments and aid groups.

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

Activists Volunteer at Local Food Hub

In a Colombo suburb, individuals who protested in 2022 are now helping run a community kitchen that produces food aid.

The protests from three years ago were driven by a severe economic downturn that caused lack 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 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 "extension" of his community service in 2016, when heavy rains and floods killed hundreds across the country.

The team have compiled hundreds of calls for assistance, 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 notes.

Digital Campaigns for Support

A wave of coordination is also happening on the internet, where social media users have created a public database to direct donations and volunteers.

Another volunteer-backed website helps donors find shelters and identify what is in highest demand in those areas.

Local businesses have launched fundraising efforts, while media outlets 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 "set aside all political differences" and "come together to restore the nation".

Critics have accused authorities of disregarding weather warnings, which they say worsened the disaster's effects.

Recently, opposition lawmakers protested in parliament, arguing that the government was trying to limit debate on the disaster.

In affected communities, 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 putting in long hours at relief sites.

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