Sri Lankan actor and musician GK Reginold rides in a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, hoping to bring essential supplies to those in desperate need.
Many families, he explains, have gone without help for days, isolated by the South Asian island nation's worst natural catastrophe in recent years.
The powerful storm lashed the country last week, causing catastrophic floods and landslides that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds unaccounted for and leveled 20,000 homes.
But the flooding has also inspired a rise in community help, as people face what the president has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history.
"My primary motivation 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 announced.
The armed forces has sent helicopters for search and rescue, while humanitarian aid is flowing in from international partners and non-governmental organisations.
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 Local Food Hub
In a Colombo suburb, activists who demonstrated in 2022 are now helping run a makeshift kitchen that produces meals.
The demonstrations from three years ago were fuelled by a severe economic downturn that caused shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Public anger erupted 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 took leave to be there," a social media activist explains.
"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 killed hundreds across the country.
Volunteers have compiled hundreds of calls for assistance, sent the information to authorities, and managed 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 on the internet, where netizens have created a public database to channel resources and helpers.
Another community-run website helps donors find shelters and identify what is most needed in those areas.
Local businesses have launched fundraising efforts, while media outlets have initiated an campaign to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes.
Amid criticism over the handling of preparations, the president has urged citizens to "set aside all divisions" and "come together to rebuild the nation".
Critics have accused authorities of disregarding forecasts, which they say worsened the disaster's effects.
Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, arguing that the government was trying to restrict debate on the disaster.
On the ground, however, there remains a sense of unity as people begin the cleanup after the floods.
"Ultimately, 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 larger than the damage that occurs during a disaster."
