At least 52 people are confirmed dead after a massive tornado roared through the Oklahoma City area on Monday afternoon.

Moore, Oklahoma bore the full brunt of the twister described as almost two miles wide.  Scientists have said the tornado was at least an EF-4 with winds of 200 mph. (200 mph is the maximum level for an EF-4.)

Plaza Towers Elementary School was virtually destroyed and rescuers are combing through the rubble looking for children who have survived the tragedy.  KFOR-TV reported that 75 students and teachers were inside the building when it was hit.

Briarwood Elementary school was also hit by the storm destroying the gymnasium.

“Our worst fears are becoming realized this afternoon,” Bill Bunting of NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center told CNN.

“It was just like the movie ‘Twister,'” Lando Hite told reporters while standing amid the debris. “There were horses and stuff flying around everywhere.  It was real windy and everything stopped. Being from Oklahoma, I knew that was not right.”

Moore Medical Center was evacuated after being struck by the twister.  Interstate 35 was closed due to storm debris and Oklahoma Department of Transportation personnel have been called out to reopen the major north-south artery.

“These storms are going to continue producing additional tornadoes. They’ll also produce some very, very large hail, perhaps larger than the size of baseballs. We’re also concerned that there may be an enhanced and widespread damaging wind threat with storms as they merge together,” NOAA’s Bunting said.  “As bad as today is, this is not over yet.”