Donations by China's top 100 philanthropists have dropped dramatically for a second year running, according to a report released on Wednesday.

The latest Hurun Philanthropy List 2013 - from the Shanghai-based Hurun Report, which documents wealth in China - measured cash or cash-equivalent donations from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013.

It showed a 44 percent fall to $890 million from the previous period, after a 53 percent fall the year before, when a series of natural disasters dominated the national charitable-giving agenda.