At least 21 people are confirmed dead while about 20 others remain missing after severe flooding that swept through Humphreys County in Middle Tennessee, local officials said, writes CNN.

“We’ve experienced devastating loss of life over the last couple days”, - Grant Gillespie, the police and fire chief of Waverly, Tennessee, said in a news conference.

Twenty of those killed in the flooding were confirmed dead within the city of Waverly, the county seat, a news release from the Humphreys County Emergency Management Agency said. One other was confirmed dead elsewhere in the county.

Local officials revised the number of missing down from an earlier count of 45. Gillespie explained the figure was high because the storm had knocked out cell service, making it difficult for people to reach their loved ones.