IPOH, MALAYSIA: When 90-year-old matriarch Elizabeth Louie Wai Lan left for another of her overseas trips, her family members were expecting her to come home and as always regale them with her travel tales.

This time however, the family has been having sleepless nights wondering about her safety after a 7.9-magnitude earthquake rocked south-western Sichuan province where she was touring.

"We have had no news and are very worried.

"The last time any of us spoke to her was last Friday when she called to say she had arrived safely," said her grandson Leong Sai Wai.

Leong said his grandmother was in good health when she left for China and frequently travelled with friends.

The 32-year-old jockey, whose aunt Tan Saw Im, 65, is also missing following Monday's tragedy, said all the family could do was wait for news and hope for the best.

Both women were among 26 Malaysian tourists missing since Monday's quake

Their last stop was in Maoxian, less than 50km from the epicentre of the quake in Wenchuan county.

Comprising mostly women, the group left for China last Friday for an eight-day visit. -The Star, ANN