The latest in a string of Pacific storms blamed for at least 12 deaths soaked California on Monday, prompting evacuations of some 25,000 people, including the entire town of Montecito and nearby areas of the Santa Barbara coast, due to heightened flood and mudslide risks.

The Montecito evacuation zone was among 17 California regions where authorities worry a series of torrential downpours since late December could unleash lethal cascades of mud, boulders and other debris in hillsides stripped bare of vegetation by past wildfires.

Residents in star-studded Montecito, California - including Prince Harry and Meghan, Oprah, and Ellen - have been warned to evacuate as powerful storms continue to batter to the West Coast. 

The Golden State saw no relief from drenching rains on Tuesday as roads turned into gushing flood zones, forcing the evacuation of thousands in towns with histories of deadly mudslides. 

A powerful storm is moving into Southern California after forcing thousands to the north to evacuate, prompting dozens of water rescues, causing widespread damage and bringing to 14 the tally of people killed in the state’s recent relentless weather.

More than 11 million people in western Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties are under a flood warning early Tuesday, while some 34 million people across California – about 10% of all Americans – are under flood watches as the risk of mudslides also shifts to the Los Angeles and San Diego areas.