🔗 Share this article Tropical Storm Disaster in the Island Nation Ignites a Wave of Volunteerism See: Sri Lankan communities submerged after catastrophic flooding. Sri Lankan actor and musician GK Reginold navigates a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, hoping to deliver food and water to those in urgent circumstances. Some of the families, Mr Reginold says, have gone without help for days, cut off by the country's worst natural catastrophe in memory. The powerful storm lashed the country last week, bringing catastrophic floods and landslides that claimed the lives of more than 400 people, left hundreds missing and leveled 20,000 homes. But the deluge has also inspired a rise in community help, as people 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 help them to have one meal," he shares. "And I was so happy that I was able to do that." Local residents have been taking fishing boats out to rescue flood victims and distribute supplies. More than one million people have been affected by the disaster and a national emergency has been announced. The military has deployed helicopters for search and rescue, while humanitarian aid is arriving from international partners and aid groups. But it will be a lengthy process to recovery for Sri Lanka, which has seen its fair share of difficulties in recent years. Community Organizers Pitch In at Local Food Hub In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, individuals who protested in 2022 are now operating a community kitchen that churns out food aid. The protests 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 channelled toward disaster response. "People came after work, some rotated shifts 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. At a community kitchen in Wijerama, volunteers prepare meals for flood-affected residents. The organizer also views the kitchen as an "extension" of his volunteer work in 2016, when heavy rains and floods affected hundreds across the country. Volunteers have compiled hundreds of calls for assistance, shared them to authorities, and managed the distribution of food. "Whatever we asked for, we got more than enough in response from the community," he notes. Online Campaigns for Support A wave of coordination is also happening on the internet, where netizens have created a shared list to channel resources and volunteers. Another community-run website helps donors find relief camps and see what is in highest demand in those areas. Local businesses have launched donation drives, while media outlets have initiated an campaign to provide food and essential items like soap and toothbrushes. Facing criticism over the management of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all political differences" and "come together to restore the nation". Critics have accused authorities of disregarding weather warnings, which they say worsened the disaster's impact. Recently, opposition lawmakers protested in parliament, arguing that the ruling party was trying to limit debate on the disaster. On the ground, however, there remains a feeling 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," the organizer wrote after working long hours at relief sites. "Crises are not new to us. But, the empathy and capacity of our hearts is larger than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."