At least 21 people have died in the US state of Mississippi during the passage, late this Friday, of a tornado that has left a trail of destruction for 100 miles.

the county most affected has been Sharkey’swhere at least 13 people have died, followed by the counties of Carroll and Humphreys, with three deaths in each. Two other people have died in Monroe County, according to estimates from the different forensic departments to the US chain CNN.

However, the death toll could increase given the scale of search operations and rescue that are taking place now in Sharkey and Humphreys counties, as explained by the state Emergency Management Agency. In fact, the town of Rolling Fork, where some 2,500 people live “it has been practically devastated”according to the president of the humanitarian organization United Cajun Navy, Todd Terrell, as also Silver City, a population with about 340 inhabitantswhich has been the scene of enormous damage, according to Highway Patrol Agent Jose Watson.

“Right now I would say this reminds me of the Joplin tornado,” Terrell added in reference. to the tornado that killed 161 people in 2011, “or worse.”