PHOTOS: Rolling Fork, Mississippi, before and after the tornado

ROLLING FORK, Miss. - A powerful tornado cut a devastating path through Mississippi, killing at least 26 people and injuring dozens on Friday, March 24, 2023.

The tornado flattened entire blocks of the small town of Rolling Fork, reducing homes to piles of rubble, flipping cars on their sides and toppling the town's water tower.

Based on early data, the tornado received a preliminary EF-4 rating, the National Weather Service office in Jackson said late Saturday in a tweet. An EF-4 tornado has top wind gusts between 166 mph and 200 mph, according to the service. The Jackson office cautioned it was still gathering information on the tornado.

These satellite images below, provided by Maxar Technologies, show an overview of Rolling Fork, Miss., before the devastating tornado wreaked havoc.

This satellite image below, provided by Maxar Technologies, shows homes and buildings along Walnut Street in Rolling Fork, Miss., on Dec. 27, 2022, several months before a tornado tore through the area.

This satellite image below, provided by Maxar Technologies, shows a view of the U.S. Post Office and County Clerk's Office on Walnut Street in Rolling Fork, Miss., on Dec. 27, 2022, several months ahead of a deadly tornado in the area.

This satellite image below, provided by Maxar Technologies, shows homes along Walnut and Mulberry streets in Rolling Fork, Miss., on Dec. 27, 2022, several months before a tornado wreaked havoc in the area.

This satellite image below, provided by Maxar Technologies, shows businesses and homes near Blues Highway in Rolling Fork, Miss., on Dec. 27, 2022, several months before a tornado struck the area.

The Associated Press contributed to this report