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ATLANTA, Georgia – At least 23 people have been killed on Sunday afternoon in Lee County, Alabama alone as a number of tornadoes touched down in Alabama and Georgia.

Sherriff Jay Jones has told CNN that a dozen of those deaths have occurred in an area about five to 6 miles south of Opelika, Alabama.

“We have a pretty significant area of damage,” he told CNN’s Ana Cabrera. He estimated a path of destruction about half a mile wide stretched several miles to the east from where the tornado touched down.

Aside from the death toll, which is likely to rise, there are a number of people that have been hospitalized with serious injuries, he said.

Apparently two tornadoes hit Lee County back-to-back in the course of an hour, CNN Meteorologist Gene Norman said.The National Weather Service said at least 12 tornadoes had touched down in Alabama and Georgia on Sunday afternoon.

The State of Emergency in Alabama that was declared last month, was extended on Sunday by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey.”Our hearts go out to those who lost their lives in the storms that hit Lee County today,” she posted in a tweet. “Praying for their families & everyone whose homes or businesses were affected. Officials from @AlabamaEma & other agencies are quickly working to provide assistance.”