(Video) Gold Rush after flood: Locals use metal detectors to hunt washed-away jewelry

A sudden flash flood in Wuqi County, Shaanxi Province, has triggered an unexpected “gold rush” after nearly 20 kilograms of gold and silver jewelry were swept away from a local gold shop.

Jewelry Left Unsecured as Flood Hit

The owner of Laofengxiang gold shop, Ye, told local media that the lost inventory included gold bracelets, necklaces, earrings, pendants, diamond rings, jade items, and silver ornaments. As staff had stayed overnight to guard the store, the jewelry had not been secured in safes and remained on display when flood warnings were issued the following morning. 
Staff had just arrived to open the store on the morning of July 25 when they were ordered to evacuate due to an approaching flood. Within minutes, water rushed in, rising over one meter and bursting through the front door.

Over 10 Million Yuan in Losses

After the floodwaters receded, Ye discovered that the store’s display cabinets, along with the gold and silver jewelry they contained, had been swept away, and the safe was also missing.
According to Ye, the safe contained new inventory, recycled materials, and cash. Preliminary estimates indicate that nearly 20 kilograms of gold and silver jewelry were washed away, with a value exceeding 10 million yuan based on current market prices.
Ye’s son, known as Xiaoye, said the family and staff spent two days combing through the mud in search of missing jewelry. So far, only about one kilogram has been recovered, including items voluntarily returned by residents. Due to power and internet outages during the flooding, the store’s CCTV failed to capture footage of the incident.

Residents Join “Gold Rush”

As news spread and the floodwaters receded, residents rushed to search the area for the lost valuables, creating a chaotic scene.
“Some residents reported seeing others picking up jewelry, but no one has come forward to return any items,” Xiaoye said. On July 26, people were still combing through the area, some even using metal detectors in a thorough search.
Xiaoye appealed to anyone who found any jewelry to return it to the store, promising a monetary reward proportional to the value of the returned items. He also warned that if anyone deliberately withholds recovered items, the store will gather evidence and pursue legal action accordingly.

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An ongoing investigation is being conducted by local authorities, including the Market Supervision Bureau and the Public Security Bureau.