🔗 Share this article Tropical Storm Catastrophe in the Island Nation Unleashes a Wave of Volunteerism Watch: The nation's communities submerged after catastrophic flooding. Sri Lankan actor and musician GK Reginold navigates a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, hoping to deliver essential supplies to those in desperate need. Many families, he explains, have gone without help for days, isolated by the country's most severe weather disaster in recent years. The powerful storm lashed the country last week, bringing catastrophic floods and landslides that claimed the lives of more than 400 people, left hundreds unaccounted for and destroyed 20,000 homes. But the deluge has also inspired a surge in volunteerism, as people face what national leaders has described as the "most challenging natural disaster" in its history. "My primary motivation for getting involved, is to at least help them to have one meal," Mr Reginold states. "And I was so happy that I was able to do that." Local residents have been using small vessels out to rescue flood victims and deliver aid. More than one million people have been affected by the disaster and a state of emergency has been declared. The military has sent helicopters for search and rescue, while relief assistance is arriving from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations. But it will be a long journey to rebuild for Sri Lanka, which has seen its share of difficulties in recent years. Community Organizers Volunteer at Local Food Hub In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, individuals 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. Public anger exploded and led to a leadership shift. Now, that civic energy is being channelled toward cyclone relief. "People came after work, some took turns and some even used vacation time to be there," a social media activist states. "We mobilized our network 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 views the kitchen as an "continuation" of his volunteer work in 2016, when torrential rain and floods killed hundreds across the country. The team have gathered hundreds of requests for help, shared them to authorities, and organized the delivery of food. "Whatever we asked for, we got an overwhelming amount in response from the community," he says. Digital Campaigns for Support A flurry of activity is also happening on the internet, where social media users have created a shared list to channel resources and volunteers. Another community-run website helps supporters find relief camps and identify what is in highest demand in those areas. Local businesses have organized fundraising efforts, while local television channels have initiated an effort to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes. Facing criticism over the handling of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all political differences" and "come together to rebuild the nation". Critics have claimed authorities of disregarding weather warnings, which they say worsened the disaster's effects. Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, claiming that the government was trying to limit debate on the disaster. In affected communities, however, there remains a sense of unity as people begin the cleanup after the floods. "Ultimately, the joy of helping someone else to save lives makes that tiredness fade," one volunteer wrote after putting in long hours at relief sites. "Disasters are not new to us. But, the compassion and size of our hearts is greater than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."