this is a bit tangential to the thread, but...
odds are very high there are black markets right now getting water and food to people in that city. what would they do without them, wait for that idiotic pretty boy mayor to scream and yell until someone in Washington delivered food and water to the people?
markets get things done. profit is legitimate pay for the effort. divert resources to an area of unusual demand and of course the costs are going to be higher -- for a government or for a legitimate market participant. charity is an individual choice. none of these things require the grandstanding, political posturing, or back stabbing of political operators.
and, incidentally, the only place thugs rule is where honest people don't bother to arm themselves, because they trust the government to take care of them. All well and good, until the government breaks down.
"death to the gougers and profiteers" shout self righteous politicians. but the question remains, would the victims rather pay up for what they need, or go without because some nitwit in office says that "price gouging is a crime?" If you were stuck there, wouldn't you want to be able to buy what you needed?
/rant