With power still out a across Linn County, people packed grocery stores on Wednesday to buy bags of ice to keep what food they do have cold and for food that can last for what could be several days without refrigeration.
“It’s all gone. So the stuff that we were able to save, we’ve just been buying ice as much as possible and stocking it in coolers and lots of canned goods,” Sadie Rohr of Cedar Rapids told KCRG-TV 9 outside of the Marion Hy-Vee.
Rohr says she was able to pickup several bags of ice. The store received two pallets of ice before she arrived and it was going quickly.
Gloria Schmidt of Cedar Rapids also went to Marion to shop because her neighborhood grocery store is still without power.
“There was about two jars of peanut butter left, I grabbed one. I think most people are shopping for things that they don’t have to refrigerate,” Schmidt tells KCRG-TV 9.
While she waits for power to be restored, Schmidt says she’s trying to offer help to neighbors anyway she can.
“I’m going to have to get the grill out and cook and maybe have the neighbors come over and help me eat it. It’s just going to have to be a day by day thing,” Schmidt said. Some Hy-Vee stores were out of propane and charcoal by Wednesday afternoon.
(Photo: KCRG-TV 9)