As Chinese authorities struggle to contain fresh Covid pandemic in Shanghai, a video has been doing the rounds on social media which shows hungry residents looting a supermarket in the financial hub amidst reports of food scarcity.
Shanghai entered its fifth day of a strict eight-day lockdown on Sunday as the city continued to break Covid records.
On Sunday, Shanghai reported 24,944 COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections in the current wave to more than 179,000.
A video circulating on Twitter showed hungry people ransacking a supermarket in Jiuting area of Songjiang. WION couldn’t independently verify the authenticity of the clip.
剛才連續兩條視頻都是上海松江九亭地區的，這條也是，一九亭的超市被飢民洗劫。我在上海的時候住過老西門（原林蔭路大吉路一帶）住過閔行七寶，最後住過九亭，沒想到自己生活過的地方也會發生這種事情。 pic.twitter.com/6JFn8PZFgY
— 变态辣椒RebelPepper (@remonwangxt) April 8, 2022
It purportedly showed people rummaging for food and fleeing with packaged goods after breaking the barriers.
The present crisis stems from the latest government order which has barred 22 million Shanghai residents, who have been confined to their homes, not to leave, even for buying groceries.
They have been instructed to order food and water while awaiting Government deliveries of vegetables, meat and eggs.
Shanghai officials had promised to end the lockdown on April 5, but fresh cases forced the authorities to extend the lockdown period, leaving many residents unprepared.
On Weibo, residents complained of lack of food and slammed the authorities for haphazard planning, The Guardian reported.
As seen on Weibo: Shanghai residents go to their balconies to sing & protest lack of supplies. A drone appears: “Please comply w covid restrictions. Control your soul’s desire for freedom. Do not open the window or sing.” https://t.co/0ZTc8fznaV pic.twitter.com/pAnEGOlBIh
— Alice Su (@aliceysu) April 6, 2022
“No matter where you live, whether you have money or not, you have to worry about what else you can eat and how you can buy things,” one comment read on Thursday.
“Do you want to starve the people of Baoshan to death?” a resident from the suburban district wrote, complaining about a lack of food.
(With inputs from agencies)
