Former Chelsea, Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Diego Costa 'helping rescue people hit by Brazilian floods'

The floods - deemed to be Brazil's worst floods for 80 years - have decimated the Southern state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Officials have recently announced that 85 people have died and as many as 150,000 people have been displaced from their homes, with hundreds of towns remaining under water.

With further heavy rain forecast later this week, there is an urgency to get as many stranded people to safety as possible.

Such is the severity of the situation that the Porto Alegre airport will remain closed until at least the start of June after the Guaiba river burst its banks and flooded the runaway and facilities.

How has Diego Costa helped?

Costa is now back plying his trade in Brazil with Gremio, a top-flight team based in Porto Alegre, having left Botafogo at the end of last season.

The 35-year-old has already chipped in with six goals from 10 appearances for his new club, but the veteran's most important contribution is currently coming away from the pitch.

Gremio's stadium - Arena do Gremio - is under water with no prospect of any matches being played at the ground for the foreseeable future, while Costa has been using a jet ski and a truck to help move people to safety in towns around the area.

Costa is said to have been driving back from a training session when he encountered families that had been displaced by the floods.

In a report by Cadena SER, it is claimed that Costa sought the help of four friends to provide jet-skis to help get people to safety.

The report says that Costa and his friends, as well as other players from Gremio, have helped rescue up to 100 people.