Cyclone Disaster Spurs Community Action in Sri Lanka

Fri Dec 05 2025 09:26:50 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, Sri Lankans come together, volunteering their time and resources to aid those affected by devastating floods.

The catastrophic flooding in Sri Lanka due to Cyclone Ditwah has resulted in over 400 fatalities and significant destruction. In response, many citizens, including activists and local celebrities, have organized community kitchens and aid distribution efforts to support those in need. The event has reignited a spirit of volunteerism and collective action among the population, aimed at overcoming this natural disaster's impact.

Sri Lankan actor and musician GK Reginold rides a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, hoping to bring food and water to those in desperate need.

Some of the families, Mr. Reginold says, have not received aid for days, isolated by the South Asian island nation's worst weather disaster in recent years.

Cyclone Ditwah lashed the country last week, bringing catastrophic floods and landslides that killed more than 400 people, left hundreds missing, and destroyed 20,000 homes.

But the deluge has also inspired volunteerism among its people, as they face what their president has described as the 'most challenging 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 tells the BBC. And I was so happy that I was able to do that.

More than one million people have been affected by the disaster and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a state of emergency.

Sri Lanka's military has deployed helicopters for rescue operations, while humanitarian aid is flowing in from foreign governments and non-governmental organizations.

In Colombo's Wijerama neighborhood, activists who protested against former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2022 are now helping run a community kitchen that churns out food aid. Sasindu Sahan Tharaka, a social media activist, mobilized volunteers to respond immediately after the cyclone hit.

Volunteers have compiled hundreds of requests for help, facilitating food distribution while also managing online campaigns for aid. A sense of unity has arisen as community members come together to support each other in the aftermath of the floods.

In the face of criticism regarding disaster preparedness, President Dissanayake has called for unity among all Sri Lankans to rebuild the nation, emphasizing the importance of empathy and collective action in overcoming the challenges faced by the country.