KOCHI: With the water entering a few parts of the city, panic buying can be seen at every supermarket and shops in the city. Cars and two-wheelers are clogging up the roads and entryways of the malls and shops. The scenes inside these shopping centres are even more frantic. People can be seen grabbing enormous amount of food and immediate supplies. There are no vegetables, bread, eggs or even rice and wheat flour supplies in these places as people go for these commodities first. In some places, this has even caused minor arguments and disagreements.
"I had seen a person grab 25 coconuts. Packet foods are the wiser investment and yet we see people buying all sort 0f food products and at whopping amounts. I must say that while we have to stock up our houses, we should keep in mind that a lot of people are suffering without food, s tuck in the relief camps and this stock can be used for them too," said Rajendran, a resident of Palarivattom.
The small shops selling a limited number of shops also see an increased number of buyers. "I am going to Ernakulam Market to stock up my shop. I usually stock up for a week with a rough calculation of regular members. The numbers are rapidly increasing and hopefully I will be able to refill the stocks. My shop is in one of the rooms of my house and we are already housing a few families from the flooded areas in there," said Elsamma, a small vendor.
The situations in some hotels and restaurants are no different either. However, as the roads are blocked in the city, restocking the supplies have also become an issue which is contributing to the food shortage in the city and flood-affected areas.