Bhubaneswar, May 24 -- Bhubaneswar: With the memory of Fani and the horrors it unleashed still fresh, people were seen rushing to the market at various areas across Odisha to stock up on essential goods as impending cyclone 'Yaas' nears.

After the weekend shutdown, people mainly in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Balasore and Berhampur ignored Covid-19 guidelines and made beeline for vegetable and grocery items like rice, puffed rice, sugar, pulses and oil.

"We had faced a lot of difficulties during Cyclone Fani as there was a scarcity of essential food items in the market. I am buying essential vegetables like potato and onion so that we don't have to face scarcity of food during cyclone 'Yaas'," said Srujan Prakash Mohanty of Cuttack.

Meanwhil...