By Xin Dingding (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-19 07:04

The devastating earthquake in Sichuan province last week killed at least 54 tourists and stranded more than 10,000 in affected areas, most of whom have now been evacuated, officials said yesterday.

A total of 506 domestic and overseas tour groups were in Sichuan when the tremor jolted the southwestern province last Monday, Wang Zhifa, deputy director of China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), told a press conference yesterday.

At least 54 tourists were killed in the quake, including one from Taiwan.

Wang said that 10 tourists were seriously injured and 15 were slightly hurt, while three domestic tourists remained unaccounted for. There are no reports yet of casualties suffered by foreign tourists, he added.

After the calamity, a total of 10,386 tourists, including 1,073 from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and foreign countries, were stuck in the quake-hit areas, he said.

But by yesterday noon, more than 9,720 had been transported to Chengdu and other safe places. Only 10 overseas tourists and 619 domestic tourists are still stranded in the worst affected areas waiting for helicopters to get them out, he said.

Three of the 10 overseas tourists are part of a 14-member tour group from Taiwan province.

According to Zhu Shanzhong, director-general of CNTA's Marketing &Communications Department, all the 14 Taiwanese tourists are safe and sound, and are staying with local villagers.