Residents of St. JohnB次元官网网址檚, N.L., were lining up for food today as supermarkets opened for the first time since last weekB次元官网网址檚 massive blizzard to allow people to restock supplies.
The lineup at one SobeyB次元官网网址檚 store stretched around the parking lot and out into the street by the time doors opened at 10 a.m.
The city had advised people to buy enough food to last 48 hours, but some turned away at the sight of the long line.
Within 20 minutes of opening, there was little room to move inside the store as people filled carts with essential foods and household items, leaving some shelves nearly bare.
The store openings occurred on the fifth day of a state of emergency in the capital as cleanup continued from a storm Friday that brought 76 centimetres of snow to the area.
Hundreds of Armed Forces personnel have been brought in to help in the effort, and more are expected today.
One resident, Doris Squires, said she and her husband walked down early with a plan to beat the crowd, but they arrived to find others had the same idea.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 surprised, actually,B次元官网网址� Squires said. B次元官网网址淏ut we are running out of things, and theyB次元官网网址檙e telling us to get stuff now for 48 hours.B次元官网网址�
She said she understands the snow-clearing process is long, and she was looking forward to a restocked kitchen Tuesday night.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to put on a pot of fresh meat soup, if I can get some fresh meat,B次元官网网址� she said.
Inside the store, Margaret Connors was co-ordinating with neighbours to buy milk and other essentials for neighbours who couldnB次元官网网址檛 get out.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e just combining forces to help out people on our street,B次元官网网址� Connors said.
She had picked up a carton of milk for a mother who needed to stock up for her kids.
B次元官网网址淚 think everybody was surprised at all of this, but I think people are pulling together,B次元官网网址� she said.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says about 450 troops B次元官网网址� including some 175 reservists B次元官网网址� will be in Newfoundland today to help the province dig out from the storm.
Travel remains difficult across eastern Newfoundland, and St. JohnB次元官网网址檚 International Airport will not reopen for commercial flights before Wednesday.
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The City of St. JohnB次元官网网址檚 eased its state of emergency to allow some stores to reopen to sell B次元官网网址渂asic foods.B次元官网网址� Most other businesses have to remain closed, with exceptions for gas stations and some pharmacies.
Search efforts will also continue for 26-year-old Joshua Wall, who was last seen leaving his home in Roaches Line during FridayB次元官网网址檚 blizzard to walk through a wooded area to a friendB次元官网网址檚 home in nearby Marysvale.
Holly McKenzie-Sutter, The Canadian Press
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