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Sri Lankan actor and musician GK Reginold navigates a small craft through flooded neighborhoods, hoping to bring food and water to those in desperate need.

Some of the families, he explains, have gone without help for days, cut off by the country's worst natural catastrophe in memory.

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

But the flooding 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 ensure they get one meal," he shares. "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 national emergency has been declared.

The armed forces has deployed helicopters for search and rescue, while relief assistance is flowing in from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations.

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

Activists Pitch In at Local Food Hub

In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, activists who demonstrated in 2022 are now helping run a community kitchen that produces meals.

The demonstrations from three years ago were fuelled by a severe economic downturn that caused lack of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration exploded 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 took leave to be there," one organizer explains.

"We mobilized our network 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 torrential rain and floods killed hundreds across the country.

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

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

Digital Campaigns for Aid

A flurry of activity is also happening online, where social media users have created a shared list to channel resources and volunteers.

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

Private companies have launched donation drives, while media outlets have started an campaign to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes.

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

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

Recently, opposition lawmakers protested in parliament, arguing that the ruling party was trying to restrict debate on the disaster.

On the ground, however, there remains a sense of unity as people begin the cleanup after the floods.

"Ultimately, the joy of helping someone else in a crisis makes that tiredness fade," one volunteer wrote after putting in long hours at aid centers.

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