Dozens of Vehicles Line Up for Gas in Durham, North Carolina, as Fuel Shortages Expected to Continue

Dozens of vehicles were observed waiting in line for gas in Durham, North Carolina, on May 12, amid panic-buying of fuel following the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline due to a cyberattack.

Video shared by Lehew Tech shows approximately 40 vehicles waiting in line to buy gas at a BP station.

North Carolina Gov Roy Cooper signed an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency in the state on Monday, May 10.

“Please don’t buy gas unless you’re low, and report any cases of price gouging. We will continue our efforts to help make sure there is an adequate supply of fuel,” Cooper said.

The Colonial Pipeline network ships more than 2.5 million barrels per day of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, accounting for about 45 percent of fuel consumed on the East Coast, according to Gas Buddy.

Colonial Pipeline announced on Wednesday that it has begun restarting pipeline operations, but warned that it could take “several days” for operations to return to normal.

According to Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Virginia should expect about seven to 14 days of “headaches” when it comes to fuel availability. Credit: Lehew Tech via Storyful