San Jose Escorts: Massive quake brought out the worst — and the best
The sun came up. The radio had gone over to emergency programming. Power was out, so TVs were out, and phones. Isolated Cruzans didn’t even know what hit who.
A disc jockey, reading notes as they were handed to him, filled listeners in as best he could. The grid was down. Highways were severed. Officials were overwhelmed.
Emergency shelters were being set up. Water is cut, here’s where to get water, this cafe is offering free water and coffee. Lois is seeking Lewis. Lewis, meet Lois at the main shelter.
Authorities warned of severe penalties for looting.
The damage went beyond death and destruction; regionally, the earthquake had monkey-wrenched the mechanism of civil order.
Some people panicked. Some looted. Some hoarded. Some profiteered, jacking up bottles of water to $8 and other sorts of gouging. Profiteers. They rank with pimps as the absolute scum of the Earth.