A total of 693 tourists from Shanxi province remained unharmed in Jiuzhaigou county Southwest China's Sichuan province, following a 7.0-magnitude earthquake on Aug 8, the Shanxi tourism authority said Wednesday.
Jiuzhaigou, the epicenter of the earthquake, is a world-famous scenic spot attracting about 2 million visitors every year. After consulting the local tourism association, all 693 tourists from Shanxi have been confirmed to be safe without any casualties.
As of Aug 13, the death toll from the earthquake had risen to 25, with 525 injured.
"All members in our group are safe and emotionally stabilized," said Xiaozhao, a 24-year-old tour guide, who was leading a group of 23 Shanxi visitors aged between 9 and 68 when the earthquake happened.
Due to the rock-falls and landslides caused by the earthquake, it took them almost three hours to travel 40 kilometers by bus on their escape journey.
Temporarily closed from Aug 9, the local tourism sector advised potential tourists to cancel their plans to visit Jiuzhaigou.
In recent weeks, air tickets to Jiuzhaigou can be rescheduled or cancelled for free for once. Tourists’ contracts with travel agency can be changed or delayed, and the loss incurred should be borne by the two parties through negotiation, according to the local tourism authority.
