Quake a blow to tourism workers

While mourning the dead and tending to the injured continues after this week's magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Sichuan province, authorities are saying that the area's scenic wonders and the local economy also are victims of the natural disaster, centered in scenic Jiuzhaigou.

Twenty-four people died as a result of the Tuesday night earthquake and 493 people were injured, including about 45 seriously wounded, provincial government officials said on Friday.

Two days later, the famous Nuorilang Waterfalls in Jiuzhaigou collapsed.