Experts said authorities' response to the deadly earthquake in Lushan county, Sichuan province, has been better than it was five years ago in Wenchuan, although there is still room for improvement.

Zhang Xiaoming, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Governance, said the country should set up a central platform to collect, classify and distribute relief materials to ensure the goods are properly allocated.

"The essential part of tackling an emergency is in fact the distribution of resources. Volunteers may have little clue about what is most needed at a specific place, while a relief center can provide the latest information about all of the disaster-hit areas and distribute the needed materials on time," he said.