Tropical Storm Disaster in the Island Nation Ignites a Wave of Community Action

Local actor and musician GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, aiming to bring essential supplies to those in urgent circumstances.

Many families, Mr Reginold says, have gone without help for days, isolated by the country's worst weather disaster in recent years.

The powerful storm struck the country last week, causing catastrophic floods and landslides that claimed the lives of more than 400 people, left hundreds missing and destroyed 20,000 homes.

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

"My primary motivation for getting involved, is to at least help them to have one meal," he shares. "And I was so happy that I was able to do that."

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 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.

Community Organizers Volunteer at Community Kitchen

In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, individuals who demonstrated in 2022 are now helping run a community kitchen that produces food aid.

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

"Some volunteers 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.

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 compiled hundreds of calls for assistance, shared them to authorities, and managed the delivery of food.

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

Digital Initiatives for Aid

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

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

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

Facing criticism over the handling of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "set aside all political differences" and "unite to restore the nation".

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

Recently, opposition lawmakers protested in parliament, claiming that the government was trying to restrict debate on the disaster.

On the ground, however, there remains a sense of togetherness as people begin the cleanup after the floods.

"Ultimately, the joy of helping someone else to save lives makes that exhaustion fade," the organizer wrote after putting in long hours at aid centers.

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