Cyclone Catastrophe in the Island Nation Unleashes a Spirit of Volunteerism

Sri Lankan performer GK Reginold navigates a small craft through flooded neighborhoods, aiming to deliver essential supplies to those in urgent circumstances.

Some of the families, he explains, have not received aid for days, cut off by the South Asian island nation's worst weather disaster in memory.

Cyclone Ditwah lashed the country last week, causing catastrophic floods and landslides that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds unaccounted for and destroyed 20,000 homes.

But the deluge has also sparked a surge in community help, as citizens face what national leaders 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 so happy 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 sent helicopters for rescue operations, while humanitarian aid is flowing in from international partners and aid groups.

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

Activists Volunteer at Community Kitchen

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

The protests from three years ago were fuelled by a spiralling economic crisis that caused lack 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 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 considers 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 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.

Online Initiatives for Aid

A wave of coordination is also happening online, where netizens have created a shared list to channel resources and volunteers.

Another community-run website helps supporters find relief camps 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.

Facing criticism over the management of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all political differences" and "come together to rebuild the nation".

Critics have accused 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.

On the ground, however, there remains a sense 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 tiredness fade," one volunteer wrote after working long hours at relief sites.

"Disasters are not new to us. But, the empathy and capacity of our hearts is greater than the damage that occurs during a disaster."