Big queues in New York for water, bread and beer
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NEW YORK (AFP) - Doug Barotra managed to carry more than 50 cans of beer out of his local supermarket after waiting 45 minutes to get to the cashier. He is expecting the worst from Hurricane Sandy.
"As long as the power doesn't go, I think I'll survive," Mr Barotra said as he struggled with his load on New York's Third Avenue back to his Midtown apartment. "I live on the 18th floor, if it gets bad I'm just going to stay there for the next three days."
Long lines formed at supermarkets on cities in New York and other major east coast cities for bottles of water, bread, fresh foods, batteries and anything that could help last out the so-called "Frankenstorm" heading for the north-east United States. At the Trader Joe stores in New York's Upper West Side and on Union Square, the queues wound out of the supermarket entrances and staff let customers in a handful at a time.There was a lot of groaning in the queues.
"By the time we get inside, there may not be much left for us," said art student Lisa Nichols, in the long Union Square queue. "I am going to check out what my friends have managed to stock." New York city's subways and bus lines start shutting down at 7pm Sunday, leaving New Yorkers pretty much confined to their immediate neighborhoods.
