This hadith has been reported on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters but these words of his (are not found):

" The people were hard pressed because of the famine during those days."

وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي ح، وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ، الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ وَلَيْسَ فِي حَدِيثِهِمَا قَوْلُ شُعْبَةَ وَلاَ قَوْلُهُ وَقَدْ كَانَ أَصَابَ النَّاسَ يَوْمَئِذٍ جَهْدٌ ‏.‏