An evacuation has been ordered in California’s elite coastal enclave of Montecito after a major storm made landfall causing flood threat.

Heavy rain lashed the community near Santa Barbara, which is home to several celebrities such as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – Harry and Meghan – and Oprah Winfrey.

Over the next week, the weather forecast suggests “relentless parade of cyclones.” At least 12 people have died and thousands left without power as of Monday afternoon.

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Around 90% of Californians – some 34 million people – were under flood watch, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“We expect to see the worst of it still ahead of us,” Governor Gavin Newsom said at a news conference. “Don’t test fate.”

The Montecito Fire Department urged residents Monday to, “Leave now!”

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said that the decision to order an evacuation was “based on the continuing high rate of rainfall with no indication that that is going to change before nightfall.”

Montecito is home to many Hollywood stars, including actor Rob Lowe, and comedian Ellen DeGeneres. The TV show host had posted a video from the banks of a flooded creek on Monday.

 “This stream next to our house never flows, ever. It’s probably about nine feet up. It could go another two feet up. We have horses ready to evacuate,” Ellen wrote.

She wrote in the caption to the post, “Montecito is under mandatory evacuation. We are on higher ground so they asked us to shelter in place.”

The forecast suggested that areas of Montecito will be hit with heavy rain Tuesday morning and afternoon.

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The National Weather Service issued a flood warning in areas around Los Angeles, including Orange County and the San Bernardino County Mountains.

US President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency for California Monday, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) to provide disaster relief.