About R15-million is needed to rebuild homes that were destroyed in a freak storm in Durban's Molweni area, the Mercury newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The welfare department said eight people were killed, 50 injured and hundreds of homes destroyed in the storm that occurred on Friday.

S'bu Hadebe, who is co-ordinating the relief effort from KwaZulu-Natal Premier S'bu Ndebele's office, said an initial assessment conducted suggested that more than 700 homes needed to be rebuilt.

"Our report has revealed that 768 houses were completely destroyed in the storm and it will take an estimated R15-million to rebuild them"

He said additional money was needed to repair 338 houses that were structurally damaged and 178 houses that had their roofs blown away.

On Tuesday, Ndebele and MEC of Social Welfare Meshack Radebe were expected to revisit the Molweni area to "help the community clean up and rebuild their houses".

Sapa