Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has stepped in to aid disaster relief in the wake of some of the worst snow storms for 50 years with the issue of hundreds of thousands quilts and coats.

The PLA's General Staff Department and the General Logistics Department searched military warehouses across the nation for quilts to send to disaster-affected areas.

A total of 419,000 quilts and 219,000 cotton-padded coats were sent out, in response to a plea for help from the State Disaster Relief Committee.

In addition, the PLA General Armament Department transferred 5,300 sets of auto anti-skid chains from Wuhan, capital of central Hubei Province to Changsha, capital of Hunan Province Tuesday night.

Tian Yixiang, Senior Colonel in the PLA emergency response leading group, said: "We got a request for help from the State Disaster Relief Commission on Tuesday, and we got the materials to them overnight."

From Wednesday, the materials will be sent to the disaster-hit provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan and Guizhou, as well as Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region by train or track, he said.

Tian said the army has been in full swing to help local governments fight the effects of the weather.

"As long as governments need our help, we will make every effort to help," said Tian.

(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2008)