🔗 Share this article Tropical Storm Catastrophe in Sri Lanka Ignites a Spirit of Community Action Watch: Sri Lankan communities under water after catastrophic flooding. Local actor and musician GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, aiming to bring essential supplies to those in desperate need. Many families, Mr Reginold says, have gone without help for days, cut off by the South Asian island nation's most severe natural catastrophe in memory. The powerful storm struck the country last week, causing widespread destruction that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds unaccounted for and destroyed 20,000 homes. But the flooding has also inspired a rise in community help, 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." Volunteers have been using small vessels out to evacuate people and distribute supplies. 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 search and rescue, while humanitarian aid is flowing in from international partners and non-governmental organisations. 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 Local Food Hub In a Colombo suburb, activists who protested in 2022 are now operating a makeshift kitchen that churns out food aid. The demonstrations from three years ago were driven by a severe economic downturn that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration exploded and led to a leadership shift. Now, that civic energy 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 reactivated the group as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday," he says. At a community kitchen in Wijerama, helpers cook food for those displaced by water. The organizer also considers the kitchen as an "extension" of his community service in 2016, when heavy rains and floods killed hundreds across the country. Volunteers have gathered hundreds of calls for assistance, shared them to authorities, and organized the delivery of food. "Every request we made, we got an overwhelming amount in response from the community," he says. Digital Initiatives for Support A flurry of activity is also happening on the internet, where netizens have created a public database to channel resources and volunteers. Another volunteer-backed website helps supporters find relief camps and identify what is in highest demand in those areas. Local businesses have organized donation drives, while media outlets have initiated an effort to provide food and essential items like soap and toothbrushes. Facing criticism over the management of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all political differences" and "unite to rebuild the nation". Critics have claimed authorities of ignoring weather warnings, which they say exacerbated the disaster's impact. Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, claiming that the government was trying to limit debate on the disaster. On the ground, however, there remains a feeling 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 working long hours at aid centers. "Disasters are not new to us. But, the empathy and size of our hearts is larger than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."