The cost of natural disasters is growing steadily in China as the government has forced to set aside more than ten billion yuan or 1.2 billion US dollars a year for relief measures, reported China Radio International on Tuesday.

Statistics show in 1990s, 370 million people suffered from natural disasters every year, and direct loss totaled 100 billion yuan; a 40 percent increase over the decade of the 80's.

Experts say that, though China has set up a system for the management of natural disasters, it still lags behind from providing adequate relief.