🔗 Share this article Cyclone Catastrophe in Sri Lanka Ignites a Spirit of Volunteerism See: Sri Lankan communities under water after devastating flooding. Local performer GK Reginold rides in a small craft through flooded neighborhoods, hoping to deliver essential supplies to those in desperate need. Some of the families, he explains, have gone without help for days, cut off by the South Asian island nation's most severe weather disaster in recent years. Cyclone Ditwah struck the country last week, causing widespread destruction that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds missing and destroyed 20,000 homes. But the deluge has also sparked a rise in community help, as people face what national leaders has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history. "The main reason for getting involved, is to at least ensure they get one meal," Mr Reginold states. "And I was deeply gratified that I was able to do that." Volunteers have been using fishing boats out to rescue flood victims and deliver aid. More than one million people have been impacted by the disaster and a state of emergency has been announced. The armed forces has deployed helicopters for rescue operations, while humanitarian aid is flowing in from foreign governments and aid groups. But it will be a lengthy process to recovery for Sri Lanka, which has seen its share of difficulties in recent years. Community Organizers Volunteer at Community Kitchen In a Colombo suburb, individuals who protested in 2022 are now helping run a makeshift kitchen that churns out food aid. The demonstrations from three years ago were fuelled by a severe economic downturn that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Public anger exploded and led to political change. Now, that civic energy is being channelled toward disaster response. "Some volunteers came after work, some rotated shifts and some even used vacation time to be there," a social media activist explains. "We reactivated the group as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday," he says. At a community kitchen in Wijerama, volunteers cook food for flood-affected residents. The organizer also considers the kitchen as an "continuation" of his community service in 2016, when heavy rains and floods killed hundreds across the country. Volunteers have gathered hundreds of requests for help, shared them to authorities, and organized the distribution of food. "Whatever we asked for, we got more than enough in response from the community," he notes. Online Campaigns for Aid A flurry of activity is also happening on the internet, where netizens have created a public database to channel resources and helpers. Another community-run website helps donors find relief camps and identify what is most needed in those areas. Private companies have organized 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 storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "set aside all divisions" and "come together to rebuild the nation". Opposition politicians have accused authorities of ignoring weather warnings, which they say worsened the disaster's impact. Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, arguing that the ruling party was trying to limit debate on the disaster. On the ground, however, there remains a feeling of togetherness as people begin the cleanup after the floods. "In the end, the satisfaction of helping someone else in a crisis makes that tiredness fade," one volunteer wrote after putting in long hours at relief sites. "Crises are not new to us. But, the empathy and capacity of our hearts is larger than the damage that occurs during a disaster."