A Cuban woman recently took to social media to express her astonishment at the shortage of various products at a Walmart in Miami as Hurricane Milton approaches the United States. She concluded that there was a sense of panic among the people. Yani (@yanimg30) shared a video on TikTok, noting that panic was evident despite the hurricane's epicenter being far from Miami.
In her video, she remarked, "Many of us have gone out shopping, and you can witness a wide array of situations. From shortages of basic and affordable products, even though there's still plenty available, to people using their savings to buy essentials, or those who have to leave items behind due to high prices."
The social media user also pondered the uncertainty and fear surrounding Hurricane Milton, now a Category 4 storm, nearing the U.S. coast. She mentioned that some people regret that even when purchasing essentials, the cost has become overwhelmingly high.
She pointed out, "If we look beyond these expenses, which are just material things, and think about all those who have lost everything—their years of sacrifice—and have much less than we do, but still hold onto life."
"The power of nature can take everything from us, including our lives," she said, likely recalling the fatalities caused by Hurricane Helene days earlier.
Finally, she emphasized that as long as there is life, there is hope, encouraging others to follow the example of the person collecting carts outside Walmart: "We do as the cart man does, battling through rain, sun, and calm skies."
The sense of panic over Hurricane Milton’s approach has also been captured by TikTok users Nury Calvo (@nurycalvosn) and Familia Obrien (@familiaobrien), who documented their trips to Florida supermarkets in search of bottled water, showing images of unexpected shortages.
Major retailers like Publix, Walmart, and Sam's Club have surprisingly run out of bottled water supplies. Additionally, it was observed that toilet paper and bread are among the products that have been purchased in such quantities that they've left shelves bare.