Tropical Storm Catastrophe in the Island Nation Awakens a Spirit of Volunteerism

Local performer GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, hoping to deliver essential supplies to those in urgent circumstances.

Some of the families, Mr Reginold says, have not received aid for days, cut off by the South Asian island nation'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 leveled 20,000 homes.

But the deluge has also sparked a surge in volunteerism, as citizens face what the president has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history.

"My primary motivation for getting involved, 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 affected by the disaster and a state of emergency has been declared.

The military has sent helicopters for search and rescue, while humanitarian aid is arriving from international partners and aid groups.

But it will be a long journey to recovery for the nation, which has seen its share of difficulties in recent years.

Activists Volunteer at Local Food Hub

In a Colombo suburb, activists who protested in 2022 are now helping run a makeshift kitchen that churns out meals.

The protests from three years ago were driven by a spiralling economic crisis that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Public anger exploded and led to a leadership shift. Now, that civic energy is being directed toward cyclone relief.

"Some volunteers came after work, some took turns and some even used vacation time to be there," one organizer states.

"We reactivated the group as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday," he says.

The organizer also considers the kitchen as an "continuation" of his volunteer work in 2016, when torrential rain and floods affected hundreds across the country.

The team have gathered hundreds of requests for help, sent the information to authorities, and managed the delivery of food.

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

Digital Initiatives for Support

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

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

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

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

Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, arguing that the ruling party was trying to limit debate on the disaster.

In affected communities, however, there remains a sense of unity 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.

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