Earthquakes killed more people last year than all other types of natural disasters combined, new United Nations figures show.
A report by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction shows 20,943 people died in earthquakes last year, out of a total 29,782 people killed by 302 disasters.
Most of the quake toll was from the massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami that claimed the lives of 19,846 people in Japan last March.
However, it was the 182 deaths from the February 22 Christchurch earthquake that hit hardest for New Zealand.
UNISDR chief Margareta Wahlström said many major cities such as Christchurch needed to ready themselves for the possibility of more destructive earthquakes.