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Sri Lankan actor and musician GK Reginold navigates a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, hoping to deliver essential supplies to those in urgent circumstances.

Many families, he explains, have not received aid for days, isolated by the country's worst natural catastrophe in recent years.

Cyclone Ditwah lashed the country last week, causing widespread destruction that killed more than 400 people, with hundreds missing and destroyed 20,000 homes.

But the flooding has also inspired a surge in volunteerism, as citizens face what the president has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history.

"The main reason for getting involved, is to at least ensure they get one meal," Mr Reginold states. "And I was deeply gratified 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 announced.

The military has deployed helicopters for search and rescue, while relief assistance is arriving from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations.

But it will be a long journey 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, activists 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 severe economic downturn that caused lack of fuel, food and medicine. Public anger erupted and led to a leadership shift. 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," one organizer states.

"We mobilized our network as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday," he says.

The organizer also views the kitchen as an "continuation" of his community service in 2016, when torrential rain and floods killed hundreds across the country.

The team have gathered hundreds of requests for help, shared them to authorities, and managed the distribution of food.

"Every request we made, we got more than enough in response from the community," he says.

Digital Initiatives for Aid

A flurry of activity is also happening online, where social media users have created a public database to direct donations and volunteers.

Another volunteer-backed website helps donors find relief camps and identify what is most needed in those areas.

Private companies have launched fundraising efforts, while media outlets have initiated an effort to provide food and essential items like soap and toothbrushes.

Amid criticism over the management of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all political differences" and "unite to restore the nation".

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

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 tiredness fade," one volunteer wrote after working long hours at relief sites.

"Crises are not new to us. But, the compassion and capacity of our hearts is greater than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."