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Local actor and musician GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, aiming to deliver food and water to those in desperate need.

Many families, he explains, have gone without help for days, cut off by the South Asian island nation's worst weather disaster in recent years.

Cyclone Ditwah struck the country last week, bringing catastrophic floods and landslides that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds missing and destroyed 20,000 homes.

But the deluge has also sparked a surge in community help, as citizens face what national leaders has described as the "most challenging 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 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 armed forces has sent helicopters for search and rescue, while relief assistance is arriving from international partners and non-governmental organisations.

But it will be a long journey to recovery for Sri Lanka, which has seen its share of turmoil in recent years.

Activists Pitch In at Community Kitchen

In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, individuals who protested in 2022 are now helping run a makeshift kitchen that produces meals.

The demonstrations from three years ago were fuelled by a spiralling economic crisis that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration erupted and led to a leadership shift. Now, that political activism is being directed toward cyclone relief.

"Some volunteers 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.

The organizer also views the kitchen as an "extension" of his community service in 2016, when heavy rains and floods affected 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 Aid

A wave of coordination is also happening online, where netizens have created a public database to direct donations and volunteers.

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

Private companies have organized donation drives, while media outlets have started 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 divisions" and "come together to rebuild the nation".

Opposition politicians 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 ruling party was trying to restrict debate on the disaster.

In affected communities, however, there remains a sense of togetherness as people pick up the pieces after the floods.

"In the end, the joy 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 greater than the damage that occurs during a disaster."