S Africa flood toll nears 400 as rescuers search for missing

Police, army and volunteer rescuers yesterday widened the search for dozens still missing five days after the deadliest storm to strike South Africa's coastal city of Durban in living memory as the death toll rose to nearly 400.

The "unprecedented" floods, which affected nearly 41,000, left a trail of destruction and at least 395 people dead.

"Sadly the number of fatalities continues to increase with the latest figure standing at 395," regional head of the disaster managing ministry Sipho Hlomuka said in a statement.