Widespread damage to California coast in wake of major storms

A deadly storm has inflicted widespread damage in northern California dumping record-breaking rain along the coastline.

Huge waves washed away walls of homes, while mudslides, sinkholes and flooding were reported throughout the region.

Two deaths were reported on Thursday. A toddler died after a tree fell on his home, and a 19-year old woman died when she crashed her car due to wet roads.

The forecast is for more ominous weather for the weekend and next week.

As of Friday afternoon, over 53,000 homes and businesses were without power after hurricane-force winds knocked over large trees and downed power cables.

Neighbourhoods of San Francisco are still recovering from flooding, while weather forecasters say more wet and windy weather is coming to the area.

The rain has fallen on areas that were already saturated from a New Year's Eve storm.

A wave crashed through a window, hitting one person

One resident of the seaside community of Cambria in San Luis Obispo County was struck by "an extremely large rogue wave" inside their home on Thursday morning.

"The homes waterfront windows were shattered and the resident was knocked over by the powerful wave," said the Cambria Fire Department, adding that "the water damage extended throughout the home".

Homes were also damaged in Monterey County, and in Humboldt County where officials in the town of Shelter Cove were warning that the waves "can easily wash people and pets into the ocean".

Parts of the Capitola pier in Santa Cruz County collapsed under 35-foot (10.6 meters) waves.

Piers were damaged along the coast, including this one in the popular community of Capitola

Tony Valdez, who has lived in Santa Cruz for 28 years, said seeing the damage to the pier left him with a feeling of "disbelief".

"I mean, it had to take a huge hit for that damage," he told CBS News, the BBC's partner in the US. "That's why you have to have a lot of respect for the ocean and the water out there."

Capitola restaurant owner Joshua Kochanek said waves hit his business roughly every 10 minutes.

"The waves were coming in and all the damage. It was gnarly. It kept you on your feet," he said.

Emergency shelters have been opened for residents who have been told to evacuate their homes due to fears of flooding and landslides on hillsides that have been scarred by recent forest fires.

Beaches have also been ordered to close along the coast.

Further inland, the Sierra Nevada mountains have accumulated over one foot of heavy snow, and more is expected.

The mountains are expected to receive up to three additional feet of snow in the coming days, according to the National Weather Service.

A "stronger" atmospheric river is expected to arrive Monday and persist into Tuesday, forecasters say, bringing more precipitation and gusty winds.