SAO PAULO, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Ongoing deadly storms lashing southern Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state have claimed 13 lives and left 21 missing as of Thursday, the Civil Defense agency said.

Ravaged by bad weather since Monday, Rio Grande do Sul has declared a state of "public calamity" due to the devastating rains, floods and mudslides, which have generated one of the region's worst natural disasters on record.

Floods and mudslides have affected 134 cities in southern Brazil and as many as 44,600 residents, with more than 8,000 people forced to evacuate their homes.

The state capital Porto Alegre was among the cities hardest hit, along with towns along the banks of the Taquari River, which overflowed and flooded communities.

Rio Grande do Sul, which borders on Argentina and Uruguay, is one of Brazil's largest agricultural producers.

Brazil's National Institute of Meteorology maintains a "red alert" for parts of the state through Friday due to continued heavy downpours, hail and severe winds. Enditem

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