More than a dozen crocodiles that went missing from breeding ponds after heavy rains that pummelled South Africa's Durban city and swamped a crocodile farm, have been found, a conservancy said Thursday.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, a conservation centre had on Wednesday put out an alert warning that 12 crocodiles were washed away from the Crocodile Creek Farm in an area northeast of Durban. 

On Thursday it tweeted "the crocodiles that were on the loose have been recaptured".

And it emerged the escape was bigger than previously thought.

"Fourteen crocodiles were caught which is two more than the initial estimated 12 that we reported on," it said.

The heaviest rains in 60 years lashed Durban's municipality and the surrounding area this week killing more than 300 people.