ASKEWVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A tornado-spewing storm system thatkilled at least two dozen people across half the country unleashedits worst fury on North Carolina, where homes broke apart, treessnapped, and livestock were swept into the air.

Residents in the capital city and rural hamlets alike on Sundaymourned the dead, marveled at their own survival, and began toclean up devastated neighborhoods.

Observers reported more than 60 tornadoes across North Carolinaon Saturday, but most of the state's 21 confirmed deaths occurredin two rural counties. A thunderstorm spawned a tornado that killedfour people in southeastern Bladen County, then kept droppingtornadoes as it hopscotched more than 150 miles, eventually movinginto Bertie County and killing 11 more.

The violent weather began Thursday in Oklahoma, where two peopledied, before cutting across the Deep South on Friday and hittingNorth Carolina and Virginia on Saturday. Authorities said sevenpeople died in Arkansas; seven in Alabama; seven in Virginia; andone in Mississippi.

More than 240 tornadoes were reported from the storm system,including 62 in North Carolina, but the National Weather Service'sfinal numbers could be lower because some tornadoes may have beenreported more than once.

Saturday was North Carolina's deadliest day for tornadoes since1984, when 22 twisters killed 42 people and injured hundreds. Thestate emergency management agency said it had reports of 23fatalities from Saturday's storms, but local officials confirmedonly 21 deaths with The Associated Press.

An aerial photo shows some of the approximately 30 housesseverely damaged or destroyed by a tornado in the St. Andrewsneighborhood just south of Sanford, N.C., Sunday, April 17, 2011.(AP Photo/The News & Observer, Thomas Babb)

Mary Grady sits in her neighbor's yard where she rode out atornado in Askewville, N.C., Sunday, April 17, 2011. Her home wasdestroyed in the storm. (AP Photo/Jim R. Bounds)

A tornado knocked down these large electric transmission towerson Valley Stream Dr. in Raleigh, N.C. on April 16, 2011. (APPhoto/News & Observer, Chris Seward)

A man inspects damage to his sister's car in Askewville,N.C., Sunday, April 17, 2011 after a tornado hit the area onSaturday. (AP Photo/Jim R. Bounds)

Venita Lee inspects her home in Askewville, N.C., Sunday, April17, 2011 after a tornado moved through the area Saturday. Rescuecrews searched for survivors in wind-blasted landscapes Sunday inNorth Carolina. (AP Photo/Jim R. Bounds)

Deborah Dulow cleans up her father house in Askewville, N.C.,Sunday, April 17, 2011 after a tornado moved through the areaSaturday. Rescue crews searched for survivors in wind-blastedlandscapes Sunday in North Carolina, the state hardest hit by astorm system that spawned dozens of tornadoes from Oklahoma toVirginia and left dozens dead. (AP Photo/Jim R. Bounds)

An aerial photo shows tornado damage at the Lowes HomeImprovement Center in Sanford, N.C. Sunday, April 17, 2011.Managers were credited with moving customers to the back of thestore, preventing loss of life. (AP Photo/The News & Observer,Thomas Babb)

Lowes Home Improvement employee stands in the parking lot ofthere store after it was hit by a tornado in Sanford, N.C.,Saturday, April 16, 2011. In the Lee County town of Sanford, aLowe's store was smashed by the storm. "The Lowe's Home Improvementhas been flattened," said Monica Elliott, who works at the nearbyBrick City Grill. "It's totally destroyed." (AP Photo/Jim R.Bounds)

Emergency personnel searches cars in the parking of Lowes HomeImprovement after it was hit by a tornado in Sanford, N.C.,Saturday, April 16, 2011. Homes and businesses were badly damagedSaturday by a severe storm system that whipped across NorthCarolina, bringing flash floods, hail and reports of tornadoes fromthe western hills to the streets of Raleigh. (AP Photo/Jim R.Bounds)

A minivan is upended at a home in Dunn, N.C. on Sunday, April17, 2011. A tornado-spewing storm system that killed at least 45people across half the country unleashed its worst fury on NorthCarolina, where residents in the capital city and rural hamletsalike on Sunday mourned the dead, marveled at their survival andbegan to clean up devastated neighborhoods. (AP Photo/The News& Observer, Shawn Rocco)

People clean up in Askewville, N.C., Sunday, April 17, 2011after a tornado moved through the area Saturday. Rescue crewssearched for survivors in wind-blasted landscapes Sunday in NorthCarolina, the state hardest hit by a storm system that spawneddozens of tornadoes from Oklahoma to Virginia and left dozens dead.(AP Photo/Jim R. Bounds)