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Local performer GK Reginold rides in a small craft through Colombo's suburbs, 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 natural catastrophe in recent years.

Cyclone Ditwah lashed the country last week, causing catastrophic floods and landslides that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds unaccounted for and leveled 20,000 homes.

But the deluge has also sparked a rise in community help, as citizens face what national leaders has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history.

"The main reason for getting involved, 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 declared.

The military has sent helicopters for rescue operations, while relief assistance is arriving from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations.

But it will be a lengthy process to rebuild for Sri Lanka, 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 meals.

The protests from three years ago were driven by a severe economic downturn that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Public anger exploded and led to a leadership shift. Now, that civic energy is being channelled toward cyclone relief.

"Some volunteers came after work, some rotated shifts and some even used vacation time 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 "continuation" of his community service in 2016, when heavy rains and floods killed hundreds across the country.

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

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

Online Campaigns for Aid

A wave of coordination is also happening online, where social media users have created a public database to direct donations and helpers.

Another volunteer-backed website helps supporters find relief camps and see what is in highest demand in those areas.

Private companies have launched fundraising efforts, while media outlets have initiated an campaign to provide food and essential items like soap and toothbrushes.

Amid criticism over the handling of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all divisions" and "come together 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, claiming that the government was trying to restrict 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 satisfaction of helping someone else in a crisis makes that exhaustion fade," one volunteer wrote after working long hours at aid centers.

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