🔗 Share this article Tropical Storm Disaster in the Island Nation Unleashes a Wave of Community Action See: The nation's communities under water after catastrophic rains. Sri Lankan actor and musician GK Reginold navigates a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, hoping to bring essential supplies to those in urgent circumstances. Many families, he explains, have gone without help for days, cut off by the country's most severe weather disaster in recent years. The powerful storm struck the country last week, bringing widespread destruction that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds unaccounted for and destroyed 20,000 homes. But the deluge has also sparked a rise in volunteerism, as citizens 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 help them to have one meal," he shares. "And I was deeply gratified that I was able to do that." Volunteers have been using small vessels out to rescue flood victims and distribute supplies. More than one million people have been affected by the disaster and a state of emergency has been announced. The armed forces has deployed helicopters for rescue operations, while humanitarian aid is arriving from international partners and non-governmental organisations. But it will be a long journey to rebuild for the nation, which has seen its share of difficulties in recent years. Activists Pitch In at Community Kitchen In a Colombo suburb, activists who demonstrated in 2022 are now operating a community kitchen that churns out meals. The demonstrations 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 political change. Now, that political activism is being channelled toward disaster response. "People came after work, some rotated shifts and some even used vacation time to be there," one organizer explains. "We mobilized our network as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday," he says. At a local kitchen in Wijerama, helpers prepare meals for flood-affected residents. The organizer also views the kitchen as an "extension" of his community service in 2016, when heavy rains and floods killed hundreds across the country. The team have gathered hundreds of requests for help, shared them to authorities, and managed the delivery of food. "Whatever we asked for, we got an overwhelming amount in response from the community," he notes. Online Initiatives for Support A wave of coordination is also happening on the internet, where netizens have created a public database to direct donations and helpers. Another community-run website helps supporters find shelters and identify what is most needed in those areas. Private companies have organized donation drives, while media outlets have started an campaign to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes. Amid criticism over the handling of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "set aside all divisions" and "unite to restore the nation". Critics have accused authorities of disregarding weather warnings, which they say exacerbated the disaster's impact. Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, arguing that the government was trying to restrict debate on the disaster. On the ground, however, there remains a feeling of togetherness as people begin the cleanup after the floods. "Ultimately, the satisfaction of helping someone else to save lives makes that exhaustion fade," one volunteer wrote after working long hours at aid centers. "Disasters are not new to us. But, the compassion and capacity of our hearts is larger than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."