UPDATE: At Least 23 Dead Following Tornadoes

Tornadoes left a path of destruction Saturday in at least three states, killing 23 people. Reports say there could be more fatalities and injuries as crews search through mounds of debris.

Seven people were reported dead in Picher, Oklahoma, while at least 150 were injured. The tornado reportedly flipped cars, damaged numerous homes and uprooted trees. One official in Picher said a 24-street area of the town was "virtually destroyed".

In Missouri, 14 deaths were reported, with two more fatalities in Georgia.

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt's office issued a statement on the deadly storms, noting, "Since yesterday evening Gov. Matt Blunt has been in contact with state emergency management officials regarding tornadoes that inflicted severe damage and took the lives of many of our fellow citizens in southwest Missouri. The state emergency operations plan is activated to allow state agencies to assist with the local emergency response efforts. The hardest hit areas include Barry, Jasper and Newton Counties.

“We continue to provide resources and assistance to the impacted communities,” Gov. Blunt said. “Missourians in southwest Missouri should know that my administration is actively working to mobilize state resources and ensure that they are easily accessible to those just now beginning to get a sense of the damage from yesterday’s tornadoes.”