The civil defense agency in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul says heavy rains have killed 37 people, with another 74 still missing

A hydroelectric dam has collapsed in southern Brazil after days of heavy rains that triggered massive flooding, killing more than 30 people. Officials say another 60 people are missing in Rio Grande do Sul state.

The civil defense agency in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul says heavy rains have killed 37 people, with another 74 still missing

Heavy rains battering Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul have killed 31 people, local authorities said on Friday, and the death toll is expected to rise as dozens still have not been accounted for.

Heavy rains and flooding have killed 13 people so far in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul so far. Thousands have been displaced and 21 are still missing.

Muddy brown waters have risen as high as rooftops in some areas after days of rain, while rescue teams have been out on inflatable rafts on roads turned to rivers.

The death toll from heavy rains in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul rose to 29, local authorities said on Thursday evening, as the state government declared a state of public calamity to handle the dramatic situation.

The burst dam triggered a two-metre (6.6ft) wave, causing panic and further damage in the already flooded areas. The dam is located between the municipality of Cotiporã and the city of Bento Gonçalves.