Mr. Ye, the owner of Laofengxiang gold shop, said the flood on the morning of 25/7 swept away all his jewelry, including bracelets, necklaces, earrings, pendants, diamond rings, jade items, and silver, from the display cases. The safe containing inventory, recycled materials, and cash also disappeared.
Shop employees had stayed overnight to guard the store, but in the morning, a flood warning was issued. As soon as they opened the door, they were ordered to evacuate. Within minutes, floodwaters poured in, rising over a meter and carrying away all the assets.
The estimated value of the lost gold and silver is over 10 million CNY.
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People searching for gold in the mud. Photo: The Standard |
People searching for gold in the mud. Photo: The Standard
After the water receded, Mr. Ye's family and employees spent two days searching through the mud, recovering only about 1 kg, mostly thanks to locals who voluntarily returned what they found.
The shop's security cameras did not capture the flood due to power and internet outages.
News of the incident spread, and hundreds of people rushed to the scene to search for the missing jewelry, creating a chaotic scene. Some even used metal detectors to meticulously scan the area around the shop.
"People say they saw others picking up jewelry, but no one has returned it," Mr. Ye's son said.
The family issued a notice urging anyone who found any of the property to return it, promising a reward equivalent to the item's value.
Xiaoye also warned that if anyone intentionally kept the missing jewelry, the shop would gather evidence and involve law enforcement.
From 23/7 onwards, northern, eastern, and northeastern China, including 9 provinces and municipalities – Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Shandong, Guangdong, and Shaanxi – have been experiencing prolonged heavy rainfall.
According to China Central Television (CCTV), as of 28/7, the disaster has resulted in 30 deaths. The damage is mainly concentrated in the northern mountainous areas of the city, where many roads and infrastructure have been severely destroyed.
Nhat Minh (The Standard)
