Maybe the mayors’ plan was to sell supplies to the highest bidders.
Or be like Venezuela, and ensure that supplies only go to neighborhoods which reliably demonstrate support for the Establishment.
Graft aside.....
I would argue the mayors lacked the authority, the wherewithall, to get volunteers to do the mental and physical work necessary to do the job. The mayors couldn’t force a disorganized populace to act in a functional manner.
It happens in all such disasters. Most locals just plain lack the organizational capability to function
Bingo!
“Maybe the mayors’ plan was to sell supplies to the highest bidders.”
Corruption is the way of life of PR.
Yep- like when Clinton removed the USN from control of relief to Somalia and had the UN do it... the UN gave it to the local self appointed “leaders” ...er, warlords.
Any Somalian who wanted to eat then had to submit to the warlord.