On Saturday, rescuers raced against time to find survivors and provide assistance to hundreds of individuals who were left homeless by a powerful tornado that caused extensive damage in Mississippi.

The tornado’s destructive path, which lasted for over an hour, claimed the lives of at least 25 people and left many more injured.

Entire blocks were flattened as the tornado swept through, while one person lost their life in Alabama, the Associated Press reported.

The town of Rolling Fork in the Mississippi Delta was hit particularly hard, with homes reduced to rubble, cars overturned, and the town’s water tower toppled.

During the storm on Friday night, residents sought shelter in bathtubs and hallways, and later converted a John Deere store into a makeshift triage center for those who were injured.

The National Weather Service office in Jackson tweeted late Saturday that, based on initial data, the tornado had received a preliminary EF-4 rating.

An EF-4 tornado is characterized by top wind gusts ranging from 166 mph to 200 mph (265 kph to 320 kph), according to the service.

However, the office also noted that it was still in the process of gathering information on the tornado, as reported by the AP.

Written by staff