People queue up at a petrol station in HCM City. — Photo thanhnien.vn

Fearing a sharp increase in fuel prices could take effect this afternoon (March 11), people in HCM City rushed to fill their vehicles up, resulting in long lines at petrol stations.

Tran Van Trong, an employee at a Petrolimex petrol station on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street in District 3, said even those with more than half a tank of petrol left came and waited to fill up. Some even brought cans, but regulations did not allow filling them, he said.

Vo Quoc Hung of Binh Chanh District said he and many people had to wait for an hour for their turn because it was unusually crowded.

Tran Thi Trinh of Go Vap District said she waited for 30 minutes at a petrol station on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street in District 3 to fill up her motorbike.

Like many others, she too had rushed to buy petrol on hearing prices would rise to VND30,000 (US$1.29) a litre.

Tran Minh Tam, a Grab motorbike driver, said in the past he could fill up with just VND50,000, but now he needed VND80,000, and from this afternoon it would cost even more.

The sharp increase in fuel prices has made many drivers consider changing jobs because their incomes have reduced by 30-40 per cent.

Now it costs VND26,830 ($1.17) for a litre of RON95 and VND26,070 for biofuel E5 RON92 after their prices were hiked six times in three months.

Many petrol stations in Go Vap and Tan Binh districts and Thu Duc City have been crowded since Thursday morning.

Employees at a gas station in Go Vap estimated the number of customers had doubled from the day before.

Petroleum dealers and retailers continue to work closely with suppliers to ensure adequate supply to serve production, and other business consumer needs.

The city Department of Industry and Trade has said petrol stations should promptly report to it in case of limited or interrupted supply of petroleum. — VNS