Officials, volunteers in Xizang work tirelessly to ensure basic life needs met following quake

Officials and volunteers, alike, working on the front line of the earthquake relief in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, have been busy around the clock in a bid to restore basic living conditions of local residents who were relocated at tents.

In Mabujia Town, one of the most badly-hit townships in Sagya County, Xigaze City, local officials and volunteers have been working days and nights to distribute relief supplies.

"I need to manage supply distribution for the residents. Supplies will be distributed on the same day they arrived as that the affected can receive materials immediately. On average, I receive more than 300 calls a day," said Zhang Zongling, head of Mabujia Town.

In the town, 772 houses in eight villages were damaged by the earthquake, leaving local villagers in temporary tents.

"Many relief supplies arrived here at night. So sometimes we went to rest at three in the early morning, but came back to work at four. Although we're tired, we can still overcome the difficulty, as it's our priority to ensure that everyone has access to daily necessities," said Yeshe, director of the agricultural and animal husbandry comprehensive service center of the town.

Thanks to efforts made by township leaders and volunteers, affected villagers living in tents can eat hot meals and wear warm clothes.

"Now we've got everything. We have got foods, clothes, and other things needed for living in the tent. There is enough now," said Penqung, a villager who lives with his families in a tent.

The 6.8-magnitude quake struck Dingri County in Xizang's Xigaze City on Tuesday morning, causing at least 126 fatalities and 188 injuries and leading to the collapse of over 3,600 houses.

With an average altitude of 4,500 meters, Dingri County is home to the northern base camp of Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak.

With a population of over 60,000, the county is one of the most populous border counties in Xizang. There are 27 villages and about 6,900 people within a 20-km radius of the epicenter.

Officials, volunteers in Xizang work tirelessly to ensure basic life needs met following quake

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened a retaliatory 200-percent tariff on imports of alcoholic drinks from European Union (EU) unless the EU removes its 50-percent tariff on American whiskey.

If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200-percent tariff on all wines, champagnes, and alcoholic products coming out of France and other EU represented countries, Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

The European Commission announced on Wednesday that it will impose retaliatory tariffs on 26 billion euros' (28 billion U.S. dollars') worth of U.S. goods starting next month, as a countermeasure against the U.S. 25-percent tariffs on European steel and aluminum that took effect on Wednesday. The EU tariffs would impact U.S. agricultural products as well as American whiskey.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic said that the countermeasures will be introduced in two steps - starting on April 1 and fully in place on April 13.

Laurent Saint-Martin, France’s Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Nationals Abroad, said on Thursday that France will not yield to the U.S. threat of imposing 200-percent tariffs on EU alcohol products and is determined to fight back alongside its EU partners.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday in an interview with U.S. channel CNBC that the Trump administration is currently targeting “strategic industries” such as steel, aluminum and “likely autos” for tariffs. “But everything else is up for grabs,” he said.

Trump threatens to impose 200-pct tariffs on EU alcohol products