Cyclone Catastrophe in Sri Lanka Unleashes a Spirit of Community Action

Local actor and musician GK Reginold rides in a small craft through flooded neighborhoods, aiming to bring food and water to those in desperate need.

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

Cyclone Ditwah struck the country last week, causing catastrophic floods and landslides that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds missing and destroyed 20,000 homes.

But the deluge has also inspired a rise in volunteerism, as people face what the president has described as the "most challenging 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 deeply gratified 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 sent helicopters for rescue operations, while humanitarian aid is arriving from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations.

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

Community Organizers Volunteer at Local Food Hub

In a Colombo suburb, activists who protested in 2022 are now helping run a community kitchen that churns out food aid.

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 political activism is being channelled toward disaster response.

"Some volunteers came after work, some took turns and some even used vacation time to be there," a social media activist states.

"We mobilized our network as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday," he says.

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

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

"Every request we made, we got an overwhelming amount in response from the community," he notes.

Online Campaigns for Aid

A wave of coordination is also happening online, where netizens have created a shared list to direct donations and volunteers.

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

Local businesses have organized donation drives, while local television channels have initiated an campaign to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes.

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

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

Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, claiming that the government was trying to limit 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 joy of helping someone else in a crisis makes that tiredness fade," one volunteer wrote after working long hours at relief sites.

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