Pipeline Outage Causes US Gasoline Supply Crunch, Panic Buying

The administration of US President Joe Biden projected that the Colonial Pipeline, source of nearly half the fuel supply on the US East Coast, would restart in a few days and urged drivers not to top up their tanks.

Gas stations from Florida to Virginia began running dry and prices at the pump rose on Tuesday, as the shutdown of the biggest US fuel pipeline by hackers extended into a fifth day and sparked panic buying by motorists. The administration of US President Joe Biden projected that the Colonial Pipeline, source of nearly half the fuel supply on the US East Coast, would restart in a few days and urged drivers not to top up their tanks. "We are asking people not to hoard," US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told reporters at the White House. "Things will be back to normal soon." Colonial was shut on Friday after hackers launched a ransomware attack - effectively locking up its computer systems and demanding payment to release them.