HURRICANE SANDY PANIC BUYING IN BETHESDA CONTINUES TO CAUSE SHORTAGES OF WATER, BATTERIES AND MORE (PHOTOS)

PLUS:

WHAT ITEMS ARE

YOU BUYING THE

MOST OF IN

BETHESDA?

I KNOW THE ANSWERS!

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive

Saturday was far from a day of rest for Bethesda residents gathering supplies ahead of Hurricane Sandy's devastating arrival Monday.  Drivers sat in long lines at gas stations in downtown Bethesda, and over on River Road.  Demand was so high that Sunoco ran out of fuel, but called in a new tanker by mid-evening Saturday.  C and D size batteries, and bottled water remain the most-ransacked items in Bethesda.

Strosniders on Arlington Road said they are expecting a fresh shipment of those batteries today.  Bottled water shortages spread from Bethesda Row to the Arlington Road Safeway, to the Westbard Giant.

You've heard a lot about lists from the authorities and media.

But what is actually on a Bethesda hurricane shopping list?

I've gathered the answers for you, based upon the most-purchased items at grocery stores across town.

TOP SELLERS IN BETHESDA:

1. Bottled water

2. C/D batteries

3. Milk

4. Paper towels

5. Peanut butter

6. Ritz crackers

7. SPAM

8. Tortilla chips

9. Ramen noodles

10. DVDs

Enjoy this photo gallery of fellow residents furiously preparing for Hurricane Sandy, vicariously from your easy chair (unless you haven't finished shopping yet!).

Water aisle at Arlington Rd. Safeway

Westbard Giant water aisle

Westbard paper towel aisle

Peanut Butter aisle

Bethesda is crackers about Ritz

Bethesda is grabbing handfuls of DVDs, but even a
killer storm can't sell them on trash like
Angels & Demons with Tom Hanks

Lines formed at gas stations Saturday,
and some even ran out of gas

Don't "panic" about Sandy:

Follow @BethesdaRow

on Twitter!

HURRICANE SANDY PANIC IN BETHESDA, MARYLAND LEADS TO BARE SHELVES, BOTTLED WATER AND BATTERY SHORTAGES AT SOME GROCERY STORES (PHOTOS)

PANICKED SHOPPERS

STRIP GROCERY SHELVES

BARE

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive

The bottled water aisle at
the Bethesda Row Giant
Friday evening

The frightening weather predictions of Hurricane Sandy are causing mild panic in downtown Bethesda.  Friday night, the Bethesda Row Giant's water aisle was stripped bare, and C and D batteries were also sold out.

It does a body good.
Empty milk shelves
at the Arlington Rd. Safeway

Safeway on Arlington Road had some water left, but no more lowfat or 2% milk.  The other Safeway - on Old Georgetown Road - was well-stocked in every department.  CVS on Arlington Road had plenty of bottled water and batteries.

C and D batteries are the
most in demand

All of this panic buying was taking place a full 3 days before Sandy is expected to hit our area, on Monday.

Two important things to do ahead of the storm, in preparation for extensive power outages, are to fill your gas tank, and withdraw the amount of cash you think you'll need to squeak by for the week.

Both gas pumps (as we already found a few months ago!) and ATMs can be forced to close without power.

Stay tuned here and at

 @BethesdaRow on Twitter

for all the latest

  Sandy information