The number of people killed by unexploded ordnance in 2013 halved from the previous year, figures from the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) show.

UXO claimed the lives of 22 people last year, down from 43, according to the figures released yesterday. Injuries also dipped sharply, from 142 in 2012 to 89 in 2013.

While deaths fell significantly in the past year, the overall number of accidents involving UXO remained close to par, dropping from 76 to 71.

Heng Ratana, director general of the Cambodia Mine Action Centre, said the decrease in deaths was good news for the country and his organisation, which during 2013 had responded to 13,000 calls for help dealing with UXO.

“It has dropped because of increased awareness and because our teams, with the help of donors, are trying to clear the UXOs,” he said. “We are on the right track.”

Since 1979, almost 20,000 people have been killed by UXO in Cambodia.