A heavy storm system which featured several tornadoes hit Missouri, Oklahoma and Georgia leaving tons of debris on the streets of the cities and towns and killing at least 22 people, authorities said on Sunday.

The rescue crews and their search dogs found at least seven dead people in Picher, a former mining center with only 800 people. The search continues and authorities said they hope no more dead bodies would be found under debris.

Picher, the first settlement hit by the storm system, was struck late Sunday and the tempest destroyed everything in its path. The winds were so powerful that left only the foundation of some houses, while several others lost some of their walls.

At least 150 people were injured in Picher, in most cases by flying debris.

"I swear I could see cars floating. And there was a roar, louder and louder," said Herman Hernandez, a 68-year-old resident, according to The Associated Press.

The storm system then moved into southwest Missouri. Authorities said at least 14 people were killed. Ten people were killed when a tornado touched ground near Seneca, a town about 20 miles southeast of Picher, near the state border between Missouri and Oklahoma.

The heavy tempest then hit Georgia on Sunday where at least one person was reported dead.
About 19 people were sent to hospital in Newton County, according to Keith Stammer, acting spokesman the county emergency operations.

This tornado was the most lethal that hit Oklahoma since the May 3, 1999 hurricane. Then, the storm killed at least 44 people in the Oklahoma City area.

At least 8 tornadoes hit Oklahoma and spawn along six storm tracks, according to the estimations made by the National Weather Service.

Another person was killed as the storm system struck Georgia. The person was killed in Dublin, about 121 miles southeast of Atlanta. The powerful winds left approximately 80,000 residents without electricity across the state, Georgia Power officials said.

At least 13 people were killed in Arkansas on Feb. 5 and seven other died in similar conditions on May 2.