Residents of Puerto Rico, still trying to recover from two major hurricanes last year, were taking no chances as Hurricane Beryl approached the Caribbean Sea.
Residents flocked to supermarkets and departments to stock up on supplies, remembering the strength of hurricanes Irma and Maria, CNN reported.
Beryl is only a Category 1 storm and is expected to churn through the Lesser Antilles late Sunday. While the storm is currently forecast to pass south of Puerto Rico and the island may only get minimal winds and rain, it is difficult to forecast the storm's path beyond 48 hours, CNN reported.
Photos and videos shared on social media sites depicted long lines at stores as residents stocked up on water and non-perishable items.
Gabriel Rivera-Cruz, a resident of San Juan, went to Costco on Thursday night with his family. He said he wanted to get supplies "before people flooded the stores" to buy water and canned food, but the lines were already long.
"I was surprised to see the long lines," Rivera-Cruz told CNN. "I think the memories from (last year's) hurricanes are so fresh that we have a clear idea of the effects and which items can be scarce or hard to find.
"Most people I know are aware that this storm doesn't seem to be a second Maria, but is simply a wake-up call that the hurricane season is here and we are still extremely vulnerable.”
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