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Sri Lankan actor and musician GK Reginold navigates a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, aiming to deliver essential supplies to those in desperate need.

Some of the families, Mr Reginold says, have not received aid for days, isolated by the country's worst weather disaster in recent years.

The powerful storm lashed the country last week, bringing catastrophic floods and landslides that claimed the lives of more than 400 people, with hundreds missing and leveled 20,000 homes.

But the deluge has also sparked a surge in volunteerism, as people face what national leaders 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," he shares. "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 search and rescue, while humanitarian aid is arriving from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations.

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

Community Organizers Pitch In at Local Food Hub

In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, individuals 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 lack of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration erupted 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 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 considers the kitchen as an "continuation" of his community service in 2016, when torrential rain and floods killed hundreds across the country.

Volunteers have gathered hundreds of calls for assistance, sent the information to authorities, and organized the distribution of food.

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

Digital Initiatives for Support

A wave of coordination is also happening on the internet, where social media users have created a shared list to direct donations and volunteers.

Another volunteer-backed website helps supporters find shelters and identify what is in highest demand in those areas.

Private companies have organized donation drives, while local television channels have started an campaign to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes.

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

Opposition politicians have accused authorities of disregarding weather warnings, which they say worsened the disaster's effects.

Recently, opposition lawmakers protested in parliament, arguing that the ruling party was trying to restrict debate on the disaster.

On the ground, 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 to save lives makes that exhaustion fade," the organizer wrote after working long hours at relief sites.

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