CNN
 — 

At least 11 people were killed after powerful storms and at least one tornado pummeled western Mississippi on Friday night, damaging homes and knocking out power for thousands, officials said Saturday morning.

At least eight deaths were recorded in hard-hit Sharkey County, which is roughly 60 miles northwest of Jackson, according to county coroner Angelia Easton.

Three others were killed and at least two people are in critical condition in Humphreys County, emergency management director Royce Steed told CNN early Saturday morning.

The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado hit Silver City as well as Rolling Fork, which one resident described as obliterated following the storm’s devastating path. The communities are located in Humphreys County and Sharkey County, respectively.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Rolling Fork resident Brandy Showah told CNN. “This was a very great small town, and now it’s gone.”

Showah said the tornado damaged homes and buildings, gutted trees and tore down power lines in the area.

Her grandmother’s home suffered roof damage, and its air conditioners have been ripped out, Showah said, but her grandmother is safe. Most of the trees in her grandmother’s yard have been downed, including one that her grandfather planted 50 years ago.

“My friend was trapped in her home a few houses down, but we got her out,” Showah said, adding that there are still people who live next to her grandmother trapped in their homes. She said all the power in her grandmother’s area has been knocked out.

CNN has reached out to officials in Rolling Fork for additional details.

The same “large and destructive” tornado was also confirmed near the community of Coila, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a tornado emergency – the most dangerous type of tornado warning – in Rolling Fork, Silver City and nearby Anguilla.

The state has activated its medical support efforts, including additional ambulances and other emergency resources for those affected by the onslaught of deadly storms, Gov. Tate Reeves tweeted late Friday.

“Search and rescue is active,” Reeves wrote. “Many in the MS Delta need your prayer and God’s protection tonight.”

The storms knocked out power for nearly 80,000 homes and businesses across Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama as of 3 a.m. ET, according to tracking site PowerOutage.us.

The threat of severe storms persisted overnight for certain areas across northern Alabama and middle Tennessee, which faced tornado watches and warnings early Saturday.

Thunderstorms moving into the tornado watch area have the potential to produce tornadoes, large hail and wind gusts up to 75 mph.