South Africa floods: At least 300 people dead after floods hit Durban

ITV News Reporter Callum Watkinson reports on how devastating floods have torn through the KwaZula-Natal region of South Africa.

More than 300 people are said to have died as devastating floods swept through the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal.

Heavy rains washed out roads and disrupted shipping in one of Africa's busies ports. Some areas saw a month's worth of rainfall in one day, prompting a state of disaster to be declared.

President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged on Wednesday to help those who had been affected by the catastrophic floods.

Africa's south-east coast faces the brunt of seaborne weather conditions and scientists believe global warming is only making the region more unstable.

The death toll is expected to continue rising as search and rescue operations are underway in KwaZulu-Natal province, officials said.

Residents have had to flee their homes as they were swept away. Buildings have collapsed, and road infrastructure is severely damaged.

Durban port was also flooded, and shipping containers were swept away into a chaotic heap.

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Authorities were also seeking to restore electricity to large parts of the province after heavy flooding at various power stations.

Ramaphosa said: "This disaster is part of climate change. It is telling us that climate change is serious, it is here.

"We no longer can postpone what we need to do, and the measures we need to take to deal with climate change.”