Ask Onix
Aid reaches stranded families in flood-hit Colombo
A Sri Lankan actor and musician, GK Reginold, navigates a motorised fishing boat through submerged suburbs of Colombo to distribute food and water to families cut off by Cyclone Ditwah, which has left over 460 dead and hundreds missing.
Scale of destruction and emergency response
The cyclone, described by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the country's "most challenging natural disaster," triggered catastrophic floods and landslides, damaging 30,000 homes and displacing more than one million people. A state of emergency has been declared, with the military deploying helicopters for rescue operations and international aid beginning to arrive.
Volunteers step up amid criticism of government preparedness
Despite accusations that authorities ignored weather warnings, Sri Lankans have mobilised to support relief efforts. In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, activists who protested against former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2022-during an economic crisis that sparked nationwide unrest-have repurposed their network to run a community kitchen.
"Some volunteers came after work, some took turns, and some even took leave to be there,"
Sasindu Sahan Tharaka, social media activist
Mr. Sahan, who also volunteered during the 2016 floods that killed 250 people, said the group compiled hundreds of aid requests and coordinated food distribution. "Whatever we asked for, we got more than enough in response from the community," he added.
Digital tools and corporate support bolster relief efforts
Online platforms have emerged to streamline aid, including a public database matching donations with needs and a website helping donors locate relief camps. Private companies have launched donation drives, while local television channels collect essentials like soap and toothbrushes.
Political tensions persist amid calls for unity
President Dissanayake has urged Sri Lankans to "set aside all political differences" to rebuild, but opposition lawmakers staged a parliamentary walkout on Monday, accusing the government of stifling debate on its disaster response. Despite the friction, grassroots solidarity remains strong.
"In the end, the joy of helping someone else to save lives makes that tiredness fade. Disasters are not new to us. But the empathy and capacity of our hearts is greater than the destruction."
Sasindu Sahan Tharaka, Facebook post
Long road to recovery ahead
With thousands still in need, Sri Lanka faces a protracted recovery. For now, volunteers like Mr. Reginold and Mr. Sahan continue their work, driven by a shared resolve to support their communities.
