The tornado in Mississippi reached full strength on Friday night, local time. Hardest hit are the smaller communities of Silver City and Rolling Fork northwest of the city of Jackson. At least eleven deaths have been reported as a result of the storm. The number of casualties is still unclear.
To meet the devastation, rescue crews have been called in from nearby towns. The work focuses on searching for missing people among the racial masses.
"We are rolling out ambulances and other crisis resources to those affected. Search efforts have begun," state Governor Tate Reeves wrote on Twitter.
In addition to major damage, the tornado has also torn down power lines with extensive power outages as a result. Over 80,000 households and businesses are estimated to be affected, according to CNN.
Caravans were swept along by the wind
Roger Cummings, who lives in Silver Lake, tells CBS that all the caravans that many of the community's residents lived in are literally blown away.
"It's going to be tough. Pray for us, that's all I want to say," he said.
The storm in Mississippi is expected to continue throughout the night, local time. Tornado warnings have also been issued for northern Alabama and parts of Tennessee on Saturday.