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Local actor and musician GK Reginold rides in a small craft through Colombo's suburbs, aiming to deliver food and water to those in desperate need.

Many families, Mr Reginold says, have not received aid for days, isolated by the country's worst natural catastrophe in memory.

Cyclone Ditwah struck the country last week, bringing widespread destruction that killed more than 400 people, with hundreds unaccounted for and leveled 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.

"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 affected by the disaster and a state of emergency has been announced.

The military has deployed helicopters for search and rescue, while humanitarian aid is arriving from international partners and non-governmental organisations.

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

Community Organizers Pitch In at Community Kitchen

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

The protests from three years ago were driven by a spiralling economic crisis that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Public anger exploded and led to political change. Now, that political activism is being channelled toward cyclone relief.

"People came after work, some took turns and some even took leave to be there," a social media activist explains.

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

The team have gathered hundreds of requests for help, shared them to authorities, and managed the delivery of food.

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

Digital Initiatives for Support

A flurry of activity is also happening online, where netizens have created a shared list to channel resources and helpers.

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

Local businesses have organized donation drives, while media outlets have initiated an campaign to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes.

Amid 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".

Opposition politicians have accused 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 limit debate on the disaster.

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

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

"Crises are not new to us. But, the empathy and size of our hearts is larger than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."