BEIJING, Feb. 28 -- Marine disasters, including storm surges, led to 24 deaths in 2014, the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) said in a report Saturday.

The death toll marked a sharp decline from the previous year when a total of 121 people were reported dead or missing.

Direct economic losses caused by marine disasters also contracted in 2014.

The losses amounted to 13.61 billion yuan (2.16 billion U.S. dollars),compared with 16.35 billion yuan in 2013, according to the annual report of the SOA.

Most of the losses were incurred in nine storm surges along coastal areas during the year, according to the report.