About 100 people have been killed and 130 others currently missing following persistent torrential rains that triggered severe floods and nearly submerged the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul.

The southern state of Rio Grande do Sul which is home to more than 11 million people has been experiencing constant rains since late April and ultimately resulted in flooding which has forced several people out of their homes.

According to the New York Times, the victims of the flooding were forced to take shelter at a sports facility in the Menino Deus neighbourhood of Porto Alegre, Brazil as hundreds of municipalities continue to experience flooding.

Several towns in the state of Rio Grande do Sul have been submerged while floods blocked roads, broke a major dam and forced the closure of the international airport in the state’s capital city of Porto Alegre.

The situation, which has now become the worst flooding in Brazil’s history, is predicted to become worse with the coming of new storms, the Times reported.

Streets in Porto Alegre were submerged with the river in the area rising above 16 feet, exceeding the figures recorded during a major 1941 which brought the city to standstill for weeks.

Meanwhile, the military, government and volunteers’ search crews have been dispatched to the area to search and rescue residents by boat and air as roads have been blocked for a land rescue operation.