LHASA, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has opened its largest warehouse for disaster relief supplies, local authorities said.
Costing over 52 million yuan (7.8 million U.S. dollars) and covering 3.7 hectares, the facility contains about 270,000 items, including tents, quilts, coats and other emergency goods, said Soinam Chagba, head of the regional disaster relief supply reserve center, on Sunday.
Situated beside a freight depot in the region's capital, Lhasa, supplies can be distributed to the surrounding areas via road or railway, officials said.
Tibet has long been vulnerable to natural disasters, including earthquakes, landslides and snowstorms. Accordingly, it is hoped the new facility will ensure speedy aid should disaster strike. The latest natural disaster to hit the region, an avalanche, killed nine people in Ngari Prefecture last Sunday.