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

Many families, Mr Reginold says, have not received aid for days, isolated by the country's most severe natural catastrophe in recent years.

The powerful storm struck the country last week, bringing widespread destruction that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds missing and destroyed 20,000 homes.

But the flooding has also inspired a surge in community help, as people face what national leaders has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history.

"My primary motivation for getting involved, is to at least help them to have one meal," Mr Reginold states. "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 state of emergency has been announced.

The armed forces has sent helicopters for rescue operations, while relief assistance is flowing in from international partners and aid groups.

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

Community Organizers Pitch In at Local Food Hub

In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, activists who protested 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. Public anger erupted and led to a leadership shift. Now, that civic energy is being directed 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 "continuation" of his community service 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 distribution of food.

"Every request we made, we got an overwhelming amount in response from the community," he says.

Online Campaigns for Support

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

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

Local businesses have launched fundraising efforts, while media outlets have initiated an campaign 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 political differences" and "unite to rebuild the nation".

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

Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, claiming that the government was trying to limit debate on the disaster.

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

"Ultimately, the satisfaction of helping someone else in a crisis makes that exhaustion 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 larger than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."