Usa news: At least 23 people were killed and dozens injured as a tornado and strong thunderstorms ripped across Mississippi late on Friday, the state’s emergency management agency said, with the twister leaving a trail of damage for more than 100 miles (160 km).

Four people were missing as search and rescue teams combed through the destruction looking for survivors after the storm struck Silver City, a town in Western Mississippi, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said in a series of tweets.

“Unfortunately, these numbers are expected to change,” it said, referring to the death toll.

Search and rescue teams were also out in Rolling Fork, a town of 1,700 people that saw the brunt of the tornado, CNN reported.

“My city is gone, but we are resilient,” Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker said on CNN. “We are going to come back strong.”

According to Walker, 12 of the people who died were in Rolling Fork, adding several people were trapped in their homes.

“Rescue efforts are happening as we speak, they resumed early this morning,” said Walker.

A resident called Brandy Showah also told the network that the town was gone. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” Showah said, adding that her grandmother’s house suffered damage.