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Sri Lankan performer GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, aiming to bring food and water to those in urgent circumstances.

Many families, Mr Reginold says, have not received aid for days, isolated by the South Asian island nation's most severe weather disaster in memory.

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

But the deluge has also sparked a surge in volunteerism, 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," Mr Reginold states. "And I was so happy that I was able to do that."

More than one million people have been impacted by the disaster and a national emergency has been announced.

The military has sent helicopters for rescue operations, while relief assistance is arriving from international partners and aid groups.

But it will be a lengthy process to recovery for the nation, which has seen its fair share of difficulties in recent years.

Community Organizers Pitch In at Community Kitchen

In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, individuals who protested in 2022 are now operating a community kitchen that churns out meals.

The demonstrations from three years ago were fuelled by a spiralling economic crisis that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration erupted and led to political change. Now, that civic energy is being directed toward cyclone relief.

"People came after work, some took turns and some even took leave 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 considers the kitchen as an "continuation" of his community service in 2016, when torrential rain and floods affected hundreds across the country.

The team have gathered hundreds of calls for assistance, shared them to authorities, and organized the delivery of food.

"Whatever we asked for, we got more than enough in response from the community," he says.

Online Campaigns for Aid

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

Another community-run website helps supporters find relief camps and see what is most needed in those areas.

Local businesses have launched fundraising efforts, while local television channels have started an effort to provide food and essential items like soap and toothbrushes.

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

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

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

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

"In the end, the satisfaction 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 empathy and capacity of our hearts is greater than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."