Japanese urged to avoid panic-buying as megaquake fears spread 

TOKYO, Aug 10: Authorities in Japan urged people to avoid hoarding as anxiety over a possible megaquake triggered a spike Saturday in demand for disaster kits and daily necessities.

In its first such advisory, the weather agency said a huge earthquake was more likely in the aftermath of a magnitude 7.1 jolt in the south on Thursday which left 14 people injured. 

At a Tokyo supermarket on Saturday, a sign was put up apologising to customers for shortages of certain products it attributed to "quake-related media reports".  
"Potential sales restrictions are on the way", the sign said, adding bottled water was already being rationed due to "unstable" procurement.     —AFP