(ABC4) – Following a cyberattack on the nation’s largest fuel pipeline, many Americans rushed to their local gas station to stock up on fuel like it was toilet paper at the start of the pandemic.

While there is no gasoline shortage, according to government officials like U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and energy analysts like AAA, the hack prompted thousands to panic-buy at the pump.

GasBuddy reports the average price-per-gallon has passed $3 for the first time since 2014.

While it’s unclear if the price jump is because of the cyberattack, gas stations across southeastern states have been struggling to get fuel. Pumps in Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Mississippi have been bagged and signed, warning drivers that there is simply no gas in the tank for them.

SLIDESHOW: Pumps warn drivers there is no fuel amid Colonial Pipeline cyberattack
  • A gasoline station that ran out of gas for sale displays an out of service sign on the pump on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, in Atlanta. Gasoline futures are ticking higher following a cyberextortion attempt on the Colonial Pipeline, a vital U.S. pipeline that carries fuel from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
  • A Murrphy Oil gas station shows no gas on pumps, Tuesday, May 11, 2021, in Kennesaw, Ga. Colonial Pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel consumed on the East Coast, halted operations last week after revealing a cyberattack that it said had affected some of its systems.(AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
  • A hand written sign is posted on a gas pump, showing that the service station is out of all grades of fuel Wednesday, May 12, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C. Several gas stations in the Southeast reported running out of fuel, primarily because of what analysts say is unwarranted panic-buying among drivers, as the shutdown of a major pipeline by hackers entered its fifth day. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
  • A sign reading “Out of Fuel” is taped to the window at an Exxon Gas Station on Boonsboro Road in Lynchburg, Va., Tuesday, May 11, 2021. More than 1,000 gas stations in the Southeast reported running out of fuel, primarily because of what analysts say is unwarranted panic-buying among drivers, as the shutdown of a major pipeline by hackers entered its fifth day. In response, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency. (Kendall Warner/The News & Advance via AP)
  • A note posted at a gas pump indicates the pump is out of premium gasoline at a Costco Warehouse fuel station, Tuesday, May 11, 2021, in Ridgeland, Miss. State officials warn that any shortages seen at individual gas stations are a result of people “panic buying,” and not the Colonial Pipeline shutdown itself. They call on residents to limit unnecessary travel and to only buy as much gasoline as they need. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Before these tanks closed, drivers were lining up at the pump, countering officials’ statements that there is no shortage. These photos show drivers bumper-to-bumper, waiting to top of their tanks in Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennesee.

SLIDESHOW: Drivers line up at gas pumps amid concerns of shortage
  • Drivers line up for fuel at a Shell Gas Station on Old Forest Road in Lynchburg, Va., Tuesday, May 11, 2021. More than 1,000 gas stations in the Southeast reported running out of fuel, primarily because of what analysts say is unwarranted panic-buying among drivers, as the shutdown of a major pipeline by hackers entered its fifth day. In response, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency. (Kendall Warner/The News & Advance via AP)
  • Drivers line up for fuel at a Shell Gas Station attached to Moore’s Country Store on Boonsboro Road in Lynchburg, Va., Tuesday, May 11, 2021. More than 1,000 gas stations in the Southeast reported running out of fuel, primarily because of what analysts say is unwarranted panic-buying among drivers, as the shutdown of a major pipeline by hackers entered its fifth day. In response, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency. (Kendall Warner/The News & Advance via AP)
  • Customers line up to get gas at the ASA Food Mart on Garner Road in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, May 11, 2021. More than 1,000 gas stations in the Southeast reported running out of fuel, primarily because of what analysts say is unwarranted panic-buying among drivers, as the shutdown of a major pipeline by a gang of hackers entered its fifth day Tuesday. (Ethan Hyman/The News & Observer via AP)
  • A customer pumps gas at Costco, as others wait in line, on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C. Gasoline futures are ticking higher following a cyberextortion attempt on the Colonial Pipeline, a vital U.S. pipeline that carries fuel from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
  • Drivers fill their tanks at the Speedway in East Ridge, Tenn., on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. The concern over the ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline has sparked lines at gas stations and empty pumps in the Chattanooga Area. (Matt Hamilton /Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP)
  • A customer helps pumping gas at Costco, as other wait in line, on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C. Colonial Pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel consumed on the East Coast, halted operations last week after revealing a cyberattack that it said had affected some of its systems. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

While the pipeline halt largely affects states along the east coast, panic-buying is happening across the nation. As Americans rush to stock up, safety officials are reminding of ways to safely transport gasoline.

“Do not fill plastic bags with gasoline,” the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says in a Wednesday Twitter thread. They offer additional fuel-transportation safety tips as well:

  • Use containers approved for fuel, like the iconic red containers with a yellow spout.
  • Follow the gas canister manufacturer instructions for storing and transporting gasoline.
  • When using a gas canister, never pour gasoline over or near an open flame.
  • Never pour flammable liquids from a container over an exposed flame.

“We know this sounds simple, but when people get desperate they stop thinking clearly,” USCPSC says. “They take risks that can have deadly consequences. If you know someone who is thinking about bringing a container not meant for fuel to get gas, please let them know it’s dangerous.”

The Colonial Pipeline could be back to service as soon as the weekend.