Cyclone Catastrophe in the Island Nation Unleashes a Wave of Community Action

Local performer GK Reginold rides in a small craft through Colombo's suburbs, aiming to bring food and water to those in urgent circumstances.

Some of the families, he explains, have gone without help for days, cut off by the country's worst natural catastrophe in memory.

Cyclone Ditwah lashed the country last week, causing catastrophic floods and landslides that claimed the lives of more than 400 people, with hundreds missing and destroyed 20,000 homes.

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

"My primary motivation why I wanted to do this, is to at least ensure they get one meal," he shares. "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 state of emergency has been announced.

The military has deployed helicopters for rescue operations, while humanitarian aid is flowing in from international partners 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 Local Food Hub

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

The demonstrations from three years ago were driven by a severe economic downturn that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Widespread frustration erupted and led to political change. Now, that political activism is being directed toward cyclone relief.

"People came after work, some rotated shifts and some even took leave to be there," one organizer explains.

"We mobilized our network as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday," he says.

The organizer also views the kitchen as an "extension" of his volunteer work in 2016, when heavy rains and floods killed hundreds across the country.

The team have gathered hundreds of calls for assistance, shared them to authorities, and managed the delivery of food.

"Every request we made, we got more than enough in response from the community," he notes.

Digital Campaigns for Support

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

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

Local businesses have launched fundraising efforts, while local television channels have started an campaign to provide food and essential items like soap and toothbrushes.

Facing criticism over the handling of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all political differences" and "come together to rebuild the nation".

Critics have accused authorities of ignoring weather warnings, which they say exacerbated the disaster's impact.

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 feeling of unity as people begin the cleanup after the floods.

"In the end, the satisfaction of helping someone else in a crisis makes that exhaustion fade," one volunteer wrote after putting in long hours at aid centers.

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