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Local performer GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, aiming to bring food and water to those in desperate need.

Some of the families, he explains, have gone without help for days, isolated by the country's most severe weather disaster in memory.

Cyclone Ditwah struck the country last week, bringing widespread destruction that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds missing and leveled 20,000 homes.

But the flooding has also sparked a rise in community help, as people face what the president has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history.

"My primary motivation for getting involved, is to at least help them to have one meal," Mr Reginold states. "And I was so happy 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 search and rescue, while humanitarian aid is arriving from international partners and aid groups.

But it will be a lengthy process to rebuild for Sri Lanka, which has seen its fair share of turmoil in recent years.

Activists Pitch In at Local Food Hub

In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, individuals who demonstrated in 2022 are now helping run a community kitchen that produces food aid.

The demonstrations from three years ago were fuelled by a severe economic downturn that caused lack 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," a social media activist explains.

"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 torrential rain and floods affected hundreds across the country.

Volunteers have gathered hundreds of calls for assistance, sent the information 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 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 donors find relief camps and see what is in highest demand in those areas.

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

Amid criticism over the management of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all political differences" and "come together to restore the nation".

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

Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, claiming that the ruling party was trying to restrict debate on the disaster.

On the ground, however, there remains a sense of togetherness as people begin the cleanup after the floods.

"Ultimately, the satisfaction of helping someone else in a crisis makes that exhaustion fade," one volunteer wrote after putting in long hours at aid centers.

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