At least three people were killed and dozens were injured as strong tornadoes touched down in Louisiana, destroying homes, transforming debris into projectiles, and knocking out power.

According to the Louisiana Department of Health, among the storm-related fatalities is a 56-year-old lady who died when a tornado struck her home in the Killona district of St. Charles Parish.

In addition, a boy and his mother were discovered dead after a tornado demolished their home in the Louisiana village of Keithville on Tuesday, according to the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office. The deaths of the mother and boy were discovered hours apart, far from their former home, according to officials.

Multiple localities in Louisiana reported destruction, including ripped-off roofs, splintered homes, debris-strewn roads, and overturned automobiles. As a result of strong winds bringing down power lines, more than 50,000 customers in Louisiana and Mississippi lost power Wednesday evening, according to PowerOutage.us. This number decreased to less than 15,000 as of Thursday morning.

The Storm Prediction Center received reports of at least 49 tornadoes across Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, and Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday. As surveyors continue to assess damage, additional reports of tornadoes are likely.

And the threat is still present. According to CNN Meteorologist Robert Shackelford, more than 15 million people could experience severe weather on Thursday in regions of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas when the severe weather swings eastward.

Thursday at 1 a.m. CST, more than 2 million residents in southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, and southwest Georgia were under a tornado watch. Several tornadoes are still possible, along with hail the size of a quarter and winds of up to 65 mph.

The big storm that wreaked havoc in Louisiana and the rest of the Southeast is part of a massive system that has also delivered blizzard conditions to the northern portions of the central United States.

"A long path of destruction"

In Louisiana, severe damage has affected many cities, forcing Governor John Bel Edwards to declare an emergency.

Mayor Belinda Constant estimated that as many as 5,000 structures were damaged when a tornado devastated the city of Gretna, located across the Mississippi River from New Orleans.

At least 20 people were injured when a tornado struck the Union Parish community of Farmerville on Tuesday night, destroying portions of an apartment complex and a mobile home park, according to Farmerville police detective Cade Nolan.

CNN was informed by Collin Arnold, director of the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, that four residents in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans were taken to local hospitals as the hurricane pounded the west bank of the Mississippi River. Arnold stated that at least one home and additional dwellings and businesses were affected by the collapse.

Officials in St. Bernard Parish also reported "severe damage" in Arabi, where a tornado reportedly touched down, leaving a large portion of the area without power.

Sheriff James Pohlmann of St. Bernard Parish stated that crews in Arabi will continue search and rescue efforts throughout the night. Pohlmann noted that ten individuals had been rescued due to bad weather, but no serious injuries or fatalities have been reported.

Cindy DeLucca Hernandez believed she could avoid the storm when driving home with her 16-year-old son after picking him up from school. On the way, though, she encountered a tornado.

Hernandez remarked, "I've never experienced something even quite comparable."

She provided a video with CNN that shows her at a red light as a tornado ripped through Arabi, scattering debris and knocking out power lines.

"We began to see debris and were struck by it a few times before I put the car in reverse," she claimed. Hernandez and her son arrived safely at home.

Scott Walker, councilman of Jefferson Parish, stated that he observed a debris path that was at least one kilometer long.

"Downed power lines, severely damaged homes, and ripped-off roofs," he added in an internet video depicting the scene. It is a huge scene of destruction and a long destruction route on the west bank.

Two schools in Jefferson Parish sustained storm-related damage and will remain closed on Thursday.

Iberia Medical Center "suffered substantial damage," according to Facebook post by police captain Leland Laseter. CNN has reached out to the medical center for comment.

The New Iberia Police Department stated on Facebook that two tornadoes hit the city, causing damage to a number of homes and tales of people being trapped in the Southport Subdivision.

Tornadoes damage homes in Texas and Oklahoma

Earlier this week, the storm left devastation in Texas and Oklahoma as it swept through the south and spawned tornadoes.

At least seven individuals were injured Tuesday in the Dallas-Fort Worth region of Texas, including at least five in the Grapevine area. Two tornado reports were filed in Grapevine, where police reported damage to a shopping mall and other businesses.

An EF2 tornado impacted Wise County in Paradise and Decatur, causing damage to houses and businesses, according to officials. Decatur was seen on video with roofs ripped from homes.

Tuesday morning, an EF2 tornado reportedly destroyed homes, sheds, and barns near Wayne, Oklahoma. No casualties were reported, but video from CNN affiliate KOCO showed that homes were destroyed or had their roofs torn off.