🔗 Share this article Tropical Storm Catastrophe in Sri Lanka Unleashes a Spirit of Community Action Watch: The nation's communities under water after catastrophic flooding. Local performer GK Reginold rides in a small craft through flooded neighborhoods, hoping to deliver essential supplies to those in desperate need. Many families, he explains, have gone without help for days, cut off by the South Asian island nation's most severe weather disaster in memory. Cyclone Ditwah struck the country last week, bringing widespread destruction that killed more than 400 people, with hundreds unaccounted for and leveled 20,000 homes. But the flooding has also sparked a surge 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 help them to have one meal," he shares. "And I was so happy that I was able to do that." Volunteers have been taking fishing boats out to evacuate people and deliver aid. More than one million people have been affected by the disaster and a national emergency has been declared. The military has sent helicopters for search and rescue, while humanitarian aid is arriving from foreign governments and aid groups. But it will be a lengthy process to rebuild for Sri Lanka, which has seen its fair share of difficulties in recent years. Community Organizers Pitch In at Local Food Hub In a Colombo suburb, activists who protested in 2022 are now helping run a makeshift kitchen that produces meals. The protests from three years ago were driven by a spiralling economic crisis that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration erupted and led to a leadership shift. Now, that civic energy is being channelled toward disaster response. "Some volunteers came after work, some took turns 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. At a community kitchen in Wijerama, volunteers cook food for flood-affected residents. The organizer also views the kitchen as an "extension" of his volunteer work in 2016, when torrential rain and floods killed hundreds across the country. The team have gathered 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 says. Digital Campaigns for Aid A flurry of activity is also happening online, where netizens have created a public database to channel resources and volunteers. Another volunteer-backed website helps donors find shelters and see what is most needed in those areas. Private companies have launched fundraising efforts, while media outlets have initiated an campaign to provide food and essential items like soap and toothbrushes. Amid criticism over the handling of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "set aside all political differences" and "come together to rebuild the nation". Critics have claimed authorities of disregarding forecasts, which they say worsened the disaster's effects. Recently, opposition lawmakers protested in parliament, claiming that the ruling party was trying to limit debate on the disaster. In affected communities, however, there remains a feeling of togetherness as people begin the cleanup after the floods. "In the end, the joy of helping someone else in a crisis makes that tiredness fade," the organizer wrote after putting in long hours at aid centers. "Crises are not new to us. But, the empathy and size of our hearts is greater than the damage that occurs during a disaster."