Tragic and true.
I think the only effective way to deal with this will be truly massive refugee camps, on a scale not before seen, somewhere in the vicinity of the seaport. People will need to make their way to the refugee camps.
The very first step required is for the US navy facilities engineering command to install an artificial dock structure at the collapsed port facility, large enough to accomodate large cargo ships.
Seabees and Army Engineers will need to construct the giant refugee camps and build a transportation link to the port facility.
Teams of Marines and Corpsmen and any Army paratroopers not overseas will need to establish posts across the city and provide security and assist in bringing the population to the refugee camps.
The refugee camps themselves will probably be run under the auspices of the UN.
I was thinking the same, however I was looking at the area adjacent to the (WestNorthWest) Airport. I cannot even begin to imagine the sanitation infrastructure that will be required.
Sadly, I see this as a triage of a society and I fear the refugee camps will become permanent. I agree that only the military (US) can do this.
We (wife and I) are looking into volunteering. She is a Physician and has past triage experience. I am very familiar with infrastructure and project management. Her Uncle was a Priest who built a school, clinic, orphanage and housing not far from the epicenter. They were shaken but there was no injuries. There structures suffered some minor cracking from the aftershocks. We are in the early stages of talking with them. Things are still very fluid, however I think we will be able to get support. Our Daughter is very unhappy about this, but we believe we can help.