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Sri Lankan performer GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, hoping to deliver food and water to those in urgent circumstances.

Many families, Mr Reginold says, have not received aid for days, cut off by the country's most severe natural catastrophe in memory.

The powerful storm struck the country last week, bringing catastrophic floods and landslides that claimed the lives of more than 400 people, with hundreds unaccounted for and leveled 20,000 homes.

But the deluge has also inspired a rise in volunteerism, as people face what the president has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history.

"The main reason why I wanted to do this, is to at least help them to have one meal," Mr Reginold states. "And I was deeply gratified that I was able to do that."

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

The armed forces has sent helicopters for rescue operations, while relief assistance is arriving from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations.

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

Activists Pitch In at Community Kitchen

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

The protests from three years ago were driven by a spiralling economic crisis that caused lack of fuel, food and medicine. Public anger erupted and led to a leadership shift. Now, that political activism is being channelled toward disaster response.

"People 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 "continuation" of his community service in 2016, when torrential rain and floods affected hundreds across the country.

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

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

Online Campaigns for Support

A flurry of activity is also happening online, where social media users have created a shared list to direct donations and volunteers.

Another community-run website helps donors find relief camps and identify what is most needed in those areas.

Private companies have organized fundraising efforts, while local television channels have initiated an effort to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes.

Amid criticism over the management of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all divisions" and "unite to rebuild the nation".

Opposition politicians have accused authorities of ignoring weather warnings, which they say worsened the disaster's impact.

Recently, opposition lawmakers protested in parliament, arguing that the ruling party 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.

"Ultimately, the satisfaction of helping someone else to save lives makes that exhaustion fade," one volunteer wrote after working long hours at relief sites.

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