🔗 Share this article

Local actor and musician GK Reginold navigates a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, aiming to deliver food and water to those in urgent circumstances.

Many families, he explains, have not received aid for days, cut off by the country's worst natural catastrophe in memory.

The powerful storm struck the country last week, bringing widespread destruction that claimed the lives of more than 400 people, left hundreds unaccounted for and destroyed 20,000 homes.

But the deluge has also inspired a rise in volunteerism, as citizens face what national leaders has described as the "most challenging natural disaster" in its history.

"My primary motivation why I wanted to do this, is to at least ensure they get one meal," he shares. "And I was deeply gratified 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 deployed helicopters for search and rescue, while relief assistance is arriving from foreign governments and aid groups.

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, individuals who protested in 2022 are now helping run a makeshift kitchen that churns out meals.

The protests from three years ago were driven by a spiralling economic crisis 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 disaster response.

"Some volunteers came after work, some rotated shifts and some even used vacation time to be there," one organizer states.

"We reactivated the group as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday," he says.

The organizer also considers the kitchen as an "continuation" 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 organized the distribution of food.

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

Digital Initiatives for Aid

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

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

Local businesses have organized fundraising efforts, while media outlets have started an effort to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes.

Facing criticism over the handling of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all divisions" and "come together to restore the nation".

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

Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, claiming 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.

"In the end, the joy of helping someone else in a crisis makes that exhaustion fade," one volunteer wrote after putting in long hours at relief sites.

"Disasters are not new to us. But, the compassion and size of our hearts is larger than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."