Panic Buying Grips the East Coast: Mad Rush for Supplies Ahead of Mega-Storm

While many people are still trying to make up their minds about the potential severity of the storm threatening the U.S. northeast, it’s not stopping millions of concerned residents from racing to to grocery stores, gas stations and hardware depots in droves.

If you’ve ever wanted to know what it looks like when the 99% of Americans who have failed to prepare for a disaster wake up and realize they are facing a major crisis take a look at what’s happening on the east coast ahead of Hurricane Sandy.

    Good luck buying lanterns, generators, propane, or – if you are really unprepared – rain boots and batteries in areas in the path of Hurricane Sandy as it bears down on the U.S. East Coast.

    The approach of the gigantic storm, which is expected to come ashore on Monday night set off a weekend scramble for supplies from Virginia to New England, causing long lines at gas stations, bare shelves at hardware and home-supply shops, and a run on bread, bottled water and canned foods.

    “It’s been crazy. We’re the only one open who still has gas,” said Karen Tripodi, a customer service representative at Cumberland Farms, a gas station and market in Newington, Connecticut. Read more....