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Local performer GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, hoping to deliver food and water to those in desperate need.

Many families, he explains, have not received aid for days, isolated by the South Asian island nation's worst weather disaster in memory.

The powerful storm lashed the country last week, bringing catastrophic floods and landslides 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 citizens face what the president has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history.

"The main reason 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 announced.

The armed forces has deployed helicopters for rescue operations, while humanitarian aid is arriving from international partners and non-governmental organisations.

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

Community Organizers Pitch In at Local Food Hub

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

The demonstrations 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 political change. Now, that political activism is being directed toward cyclone relief.

"Some volunteers came after work, some took turns and some even used vacation time to be there," one organizer 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 community service in 2016, when torrential rain and floods killed hundreds across the country.

The team have compiled hundreds of requests for help, shared them to authorities, and organized 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 shared list to direct donations and helpers.

Another community-run website helps supporters find relief camps and identify what is in highest demand in those areas.

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

Facing criticism over the handling of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all political differences" and "unite to rebuild the nation".

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

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

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

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

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