🔗 Share this article Cyclone Disaster in Sri Lanka Ignites a Spirit of Community Action Watch: Sri Lankan communities submerged after devastating rains. Local performer GK Reginold navigates a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, hoping to deliver food and water to those in desperate need. Some of the families, Mr Reginold says, have gone without help for days, isolated by the country's most severe weather disaster in recent years. Cyclone Ditwah struck the country last week, causing catastrophic floods and landslides that claimed the lives of more than 400 people, left hundreds unaccounted for and leveled 20,000 homes. But the flooding has also sparked a surge in community help, as citizens face what the president has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history. "The main reason why I wanted to do this, is to at least ensure they get one meal," Mr Reginold states. "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 announced. The armed forces has sent helicopters for rescue operations, while relief assistance is flowing in from international partners and aid groups. But it will be a long journey to recovery for the nation, which has seen its fair share of turmoil in recent years. Activists Pitch In at Community Kitchen In a Colombo suburb, individuals who protested in 2022 are now operating a community kitchen that churns out meals. The protests from three years ago were fuelled 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 took leave to be there," one organizer states. "We reactivated the group 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 volunteer work in 2016, when torrential rain and floods affected hundreds across the country. The team have compiled hundreds of calls for assistance, shared them to authorities, and managed the distribution of food. "Whatever we asked for, we got an overwhelming amount in response from the community," he says. Digital Initiatives for Support A wave of coordination is also happening online, where netizens have created a public database to direct donations and helpers. Another community-run website helps supporters find shelters and identify what is in highest demand in those areas. Local businesses have launched donation drives, while local television channels have initiated an effort to provide food and essential items like soap and toothbrushes. Facing criticism over the handling of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all political differences" and "unite to rebuild the nation". Opposition politicians have claimed authorities of ignoring weather warnings, which they say exacerbated the disaster's effects. Recently, opposition lawmakers protested in parliament, arguing that the ruling party was trying to restrict debate on the disaster. In affected communities, however, there remains a feeling of unity as people pick up the pieces after the floods. "In the end, the satisfaction of helping someone else in a crisis makes that exhaustion fade," one volunteer wrote after working long hours at relief sites. "Disasters are not new to us. But, the compassion and capacity of our hearts is larger than the damage that occurs during a disaster."