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Sri Lankan actor and musician GK Reginold navigates a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, aiming to bring food and water to those in desperate need.

Many families, Mr Reginold says, have not received aid for days, cut off by the South Asian island nation's worst natural catastrophe in recent years.

Cyclone Ditwah lashed the country last week, bringing catastrophic floods and landslides that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds missing and leveled 20,000 homes.

But the flooding has also sparked a surge in community help, as people face what national leaders has described as the "most challenging natural disaster" in its history.

"The main reason 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."

More than one million people have been impacted by the disaster and a national emergency has been announced.

The armed forces has sent helicopters for search and rescue, while relief assistance is arriving from foreign governments and aid groups.

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

Activists Volunteer at Local Food Hub

In a Colombo suburb, activists who protested in 2022 are now operating a community kitchen that churns out food aid.

The demonstrations 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 political change. Now, that political activism 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 explains.

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

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.

Volunteers have compiled hundreds of requests for help, shared them to authorities, and managed the delivery of food.

"Every request we made, we got an overwhelming amount in response from the community," he notes.

Digital Campaigns for Aid

A wave of coordination is also happening on the internet, where netizens have created a public database to channel resources and volunteers.

Another community-run website helps supporters find shelters and identify what is most needed in those areas.

Private companies have launched donation drives, while local television channels 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 "put aside all divisions" and "unite to rebuild the nation".

Critics have claimed authorities of ignoring forecasts, which they say worsened the disaster's effects.

Recently, opposition lawmakers protested in parliament, claiming that the government was trying to limit debate on the disaster.

In affected communities, however, there remains a sense of togetherness 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 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 destruction that occurs during a disaster."