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Local actor and musician GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, aiming to bring food and water to those in urgent circumstances.

Some of the families, he explains, have gone without help for days, cut off by the South Asian island nation's most severe natural catastrophe in recent years.

The powerful storm lashed the country last week, causing 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 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 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 impacted by the disaster and a state of emergency has been declared.

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

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

Activists Volunteer at Local Food Hub

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

The protests from three years ago were fuelled by a spiralling economic crisis that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration exploded and led to a leadership shift. Now, that civic energy is being channelled toward cyclone relief.

"People came after work, some rotated shifts and some even took leave to be there," one organizer states.

"We reactivated the group as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday," he says.

The organizer also considers the kitchen as an "extension" of his community service in 2016, when heavy rains and floods affected hundreds across the country.

Volunteers have compiled hundreds of calls for assistance, shared them to authorities, and managed the distribution of food.

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

Online Campaigns for Aid

A flurry of activity is also happening online, where social media users have created a public database to channel resources and helpers.

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

Private companies have launched donation drives, while local television channels have initiated an effort to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes.

Amid criticism over the management of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all divisions" and "come together to restore the nation".

Critics have claimed authorities of disregarding forecasts, which they say exacerbated the disaster's impact.

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

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

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

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