Tropical Storm Catastrophe in the Island Nation Unleashes a Wave of Volunteerism

Local actor and musician GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, hoping to bring food and water to those in urgent circumstances.

Many families, Mr Reginold says, have gone without help for days, isolated by the South Asian island nation's worst weather disaster in recent years.

Cyclone Ditwah lashed the country last week, bringing widespread destruction that killed more than 400 people, with hundreds missing and destroyed 20,000 homes.

But the flooding has also inspired a rise in volunteerism, as citizens face what national leaders has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history.

"My primary motivation for getting involved, is to at least ensure they get one meal," Mr Reginold states. "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 foreign governments and aid groups.

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

Community Organizers Pitch In at Community Kitchen

In a Colombo suburb, activists who protested in 2022 are now helping run a makeshift kitchen that churns out food aid.

The protests from three years ago were fuelled by a severe economic downturn 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 took turns and some even used vacation time to be there," a social media activist states.

"We reactivated the group as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday," he says.

The organizer also views the kitchen as an "continuation" of his volunteer work in 2016, when torrential rain and floods affected hundreds across the country.

Volunteers have gathered hundreds of calls for assistance, sent the information to authorities, and managed the distribution of food.

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

Online Initiatives for Support

A wave of coordination is also happening on the internet, where social media users have created a shared list to channel resources and helpers.

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

Local businesses have organized fundraising efforts, while media outlets have initiated an campaign to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes.

Facing criticism over the management of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "set aside all political differences" and "unite to restore the nation".

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

Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, claiming that the ruling party was trying to restrict debate on the disaster.

In affected communities, however, there remains a sense of unity as people begin the cleanup after the floods.

"In the end, the satisfaction of helping someone else to save lives makes that exhaustion fade," the organizer wrote after putting in long hours at aid centers.

"Crises are not new to us. But, the compassion and capacity of our hearts is greater than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."