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Local performer GK Reginold navigates a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, hoping to bring essential supplies to those in desperate need.

Many families, he explains, have gone without help for days, cut off by the country's worst natural catastrophe in recent years.

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

But the deluge 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 for getting involved, is to at least ensure they get one meal," Mr Reginold states. "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 declared.

The armed forces has deployed helicopters for rescue operations, while humanitarian aid is flowing in from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations.

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

Community Organizers Pitch In at Community Kitchen

In a Colombo suburb, individuals who demonstrated in 2022 are now operating a makeshift kitchen that churns out food aid.

The demonstrations from three years ago were fuelled by a severe economic downturn that caused lack of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration erupted and led to political change. Now, that political activism is being directed toward disaster response.

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

The team have compiled hundreds of calls for assistance, sent the information to authorities, and managed the distribution of food.

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

Online Campaigns for Support

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

Another volunteer-backed website helps supporters find relief camps and see what is in highest demand 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 preparations, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all political differences" and "come together to rebuild the nation".

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

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

On the ground, however, there remains a feeling of unity as people pick up the pieces after the floods.

"Ultimately, the joy of helping someone else to save lives makes that tiredness fade," the organizer wrote after working long hours at aid centers.

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