Shops in Surkhet are crowded with consumers to buy cooking gas. Local gas dealers and other gas shops were crowded with consumers since Friday morning.

Locals have started filling up gas in a hurry after gas shortages arose due to the recent increase in tensions in West Asia. The government had started selling half-filled cylinders to ease supply, saying that there might be a fuel shortage after Iran and Israel were pushed into war.

Shanta Khadka, a local of Birendranagar Municipality-7, said that she filled two empty cylinders of gas on Friday morning after hearing about the gas shortage. She said that she filled the gas after waiting for a long time, saying, "We saw the news on social media. We filled it after consulting our family. Many relatives have also filled the empty gas." Many people also bought new gas.'

Ishwar Rana Magar, a local from Birendranagar-2, said that he could not find any gas even after searching all over the market on Friday evening. I had gone to gas shops in Beach Bazaar, Mangalgadhi, Erichowk, Bangesimal and other places for my roommate Deviraj Kathayat. He says, 'Everyone just says there is none. It doesn't seem like it will run out so soon. It seems like they have hidden it.' He said that he had no option but to go to a hotel with his small children after not finding gas.

Prem Bahadur Shahi, a resident of Birendranagar-15 Ratu and living in Pipira, complained that he could not get gas even after visiting many gas shops. He said that the shopkeeper told him that he would sell it only after buying a stove. He says that there is a shortage of gas in the district.

Surkhet-based Bheri Gas seller Binod Dahal said that there is no shortage of gas. According to him, a crowd of consumers had been at the shop since morning to buy gas. He says that they came to buy a lot in one day due to unnecessary noise. He says that the crowding was seen because one person came to fill two or more empty cylinders.