rumor sent city scrambling

I seem to think that all means of communication are slowly moving to the internet.  Yet, it was refreshing to read that gas pumps had ran dry Friday in Nashville all because of a rumor.  Word of mouth caused the city's citizens to go into panic mode; filling up their cars and even gas cans and other containers.  There is no hint at who was the originator of the rumor, but it's pleasing to know that our society can still communicate on a more personal level to one another.  

Yet, internet still had some to do with this rumor's rapid spread across the city.  Many consumers went online after hearing the rumor to see if it was true; to see if it was worth running and getting gas immediately.  The immediacy of the internet sometimes makes things like a gas shortage rumor seem real.  If you read it online, it must be true, right?