đź”— Share this article Tropical Storm Disaster in the Island Nation Ignites a Spirit of Volunteerism Watch: Sri Lankan communities submerged after devastating rains. Local performer GK Reginold navigates a motorised fishing boat through flooded neighborhoods, aiming to bring food and water to those in urgent circumstances. Some of the families, he explains, have not received aid for days, isolated by the country's worst weather disaster in memory. The powerful storm struck the country last week, bringing widespread destruction that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds unaccounted for and destroyed 20,000 homes. But the deluge has also sparked a rise in volunteerism, as citizens face what national leaders has described as the "gravest 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 deeply gratified that I was able to do that." Local residents have been using small vessels out to evacuate people and deliver aid. More than one million people have been impacted by the disaster and a national emergency has been announced. The armed forces has sent helicopters for search and rescue, while relief assistance is flowing in from foreign governments and aid groups. But it will be a lengthy process to recovery for Sri Lanka, which has seen its share of turmoil in recent years. Community Organizers Pitch In at Community Kitchen In a Colombo suburb, activists who demonstrated in 2022 are now helping run a makeshift kitchen that churns out food aid. The demonstrations from three years ago were fuelled by a severe economic downturn that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Public anger exploded 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 took leave 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 local kitchen in Wijerama, volunteers prepare meals for flood-affected residents. The organizer also considers the kitchen as an "extension" of his volunteer work in 2016, when torrential rain and floods affected hundreds across the country. Volunteers have gathered hundreds of requests for help, shared them to authorities, and organized the distribution of food. "Every request we made, we got more than enough in response from the community," he says. Digital Campaigns for Support A wave of coordination is also happening on the internet, 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. Local businesses 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 management of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "set 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 protested in parliament, arguing that the government was trying to limit debate on the disaster. In affected communities, however, there remains a sense of togetherness as people begin the cleanup after the floods. "In the end, the joy of helping someone else to save lives makes that exhaustion fade," one volunteer wrote after putting in long hours at aid centers. "Disasters are not new to us. But, the empathy and size of our hearts is larger than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."