The suburb of Moore Oklahoma faced the full force of nature’s fury on Monday afternoon, after an EF5 tornado ripped through the densely populated area. It is thought the tornado reached around two miles in diameter. Two schools took a direct hit as well as a hospital.

“An EF-5 is as bad as it gets,” said Joe D’Aleo, co-chief forecaster for WeatherBell Analytics. “It’s equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane. It means winds were more than 200 miles per hour, and it means you have to be underground, because there will be nothing left above ground.”

The tornado has left 24 people dead, including 9 children. The Mayor of Oklahoma has said the damage could cost $2 billion, and has called for all new homes to be built with storm shelters. The death toll was originally placed at over 60, however the medical examiner has now said amidst the confusion some bodies were counted twice.

The suburb of Moore has been hit four times since 1998 by deadly tornadoes. In May 1999 another massive tornado followed almost an identical path through Moore. Meteorologists have said this is very rare.

Read more: Fox News