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Sri Lankan performer GK Reginold navigates a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, aiming to bring food and water to those in desperate need.

Many families, Mr Reginold says, have gone without help for days, cut off by the South Asian island nation's worst weather disaster in recent years.

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

But the deluge has also inspired a rise in community help, as people face what the president 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 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 armed forces has sent helicopters for rescue operations, while humanitarian aid is arriving 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 turmoil in recent years.

Activists Volunteer at Local Food Hub

In a Colombo suburb, individuals who protested in 2022 are now operating a makeshift kitchen that produces food aid.

The demonstrations from three years ago were driven by a severe economic downturn that caused lack of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration exploded and led to political change. Now, that political activism is being channelled toward cyclone relief.

"Some volunteers 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, shared them 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 Initiatives for Support

A wave of coordination is also happening on the internet, where netizens have created a public database to direct donations and helpers.

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

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

Facing criticism over the management of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "set aside all political differences" and "unite to restore the nation".

Opposition politicians have accused authorities of ignoring forecasts, which they say worsened the disaster's impact.

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

In affected communities, however, there remains a sense of togetherness as people pick up the pieces after the floods.

"Ultimately, the joy of helping someone else in a crisis makes that exhaustion fade," the organizer wrote after putting in long hours at relief sites.

"Disasters are not new to us. But, the compassion and size of our hearts is greater than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."