BEIJING -- China's coal output fell 10.2 percent year on year to 2.18 billion tons during the first eight months of the year, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Monday.

The fall eased from the previous three months, but it still marked the fifth consecutive month of declines over 10 percent.

Coal imports rose 12.4 percent from a year earlier to 1.56 trillion tons during the eight-month period on surging demand, according to a statement on the website of the bureau.

In August alone, coal imports surged 52.1 percent year on year to 265.9 billion tons.

The statement added that stockpiles at coal companies amounted to 460 million tons at the end of August, down 12.2 percent year on year.

It is the 10th monthly drop of coal stockpiles since November 2015, said the statement.