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

Some of the families, Mr Reginold says, have not received aid for days, isolated by the South Asian island nation's most severe weather disaster in memory.

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

But the deluge has also inspired a rise in volunteerism, as people face what the president has described as the "gravest 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 declared.

The military has deployed helicopters for rescue operations, while humanitarian aid is arriving from international partners and non-governmental organisations.

But it will be a lengthy process to recovery for the nation, which has seen its fair share of difficulties in recent years.

Activists Pitch In at Local Food Hub

In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, individuals who protested in 2022 are now helping run a makeshift kitchen that churns out food aid.

The demonstrations from three years ago were driven by a spiralling economic crisis that caused lack of fuel, food and medicine. Public anger erupted and led to political change. Now, that civic energy is being directed toward cyclone relief.

"People came after work, some rotated shifts and some even used vacation time to be there," a social media activist 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 volunteer work in 2016, when heavy rains and floods affected hundreds across the country.

The team have gathered hundreds of requests for help, sent the information 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 Support

A wave of coordination is also happening online, where social media users have created a public database to channel resources and volunteers.

Another volunteer-backed website helps supporters find relief camps and see what is in highest demand in those areas.

Private companies have organized donation drives, while media outlets have initiated an campaign to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes.

Amid criticism over the management of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "set aside all divisions" and "unite to rebuild the nation".

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

Recently, opposition lawmakers protested 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 pick up the pieces after the floods.

"Ultimately, the joy of helping someone else to save lives makes that tiredness fade," one volunteer wrote after working long hours at relief sites.

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