A search and rescue team in Gaziantep, southern Turkey, discovered over $2 million in cash stashed beneath the wreckage of a collapsed building by a victim of the recent earthquake.
The building in question, the “Aisha Muhammad Polat” site in Gaziantep, was destroyed by two major earthquakes that struck Kahramanmaraş in Southern Turkey.
The firefighters on Friday, were conducting search and rescue activities when they found the large sum of money next to one of the victims who they pulled from under the rubble.
According to reports in Turkish media, the rescue team immediately documented the cash using their mobile phone cameras before putting it into a black bag. They then handed the bundles of money over to the Police.
The head of the Gaziantep Municipality Fire Department, Kaveh Yilmaz, told Inson Haber that while they often encounter such situations, their priority is always to save lives.
Yilmaz emphasized that his personnel work hard in the field, first trying to save the lives of citizens trapped under the rubble.
He said that while doing so, they often come across valuables such as jewelry and money.
However, the team prioritizes human life and hands over any valuables they find to their owners.
The firefighters’ decision to hand over the $2 million dollars to the authorities has been praised as an indication of their loyalty and honesty. The amount will now be processed according to Turkish law.
The discovery of the cash amid the wreckage highlights the significant losses that individuals and businesses suffer in the aftermath of natural disasters.
As rescue workers focus on saving lives, other valuable assets, including cash, can be lost in the chaos.
On 6 February, two devastating earthquakes of 7.5 and 7.8 magnitudes respectively affected Turkey and Syria.
The death toll from the quake that shook both nations stands at over 46,ooo lives lost, in what the Turkish President, Recep Erdogan, has described as “the disaster of the century.”
The United Nations have continued to appeal for more funds to aid rescue missions with many international bodies and countries donating to Turkey and Syria.
In the quake, Ghanian football player, Christian Atsu, was one of the victims that lost his life. His body was discovered three days ago and his remains flown home to Ghana to be buried.
