In Tamil Nadu, North East monsoon rains have claimed 12 lives with deaths reported from different parts of the state. Reports reaching Chennai from the districts say the continuous rains have damaged houses in the coastal areas, which has been lashed by heavy downpour. Normal life in many parts of the state has been badly hit. Schools and colleges in Chennai, kancheepuram, tiruvallur, Tiruchi, Ramanathapuram, and Pudukottai remained closed today. Tuticorin received the maximum of 17 cms of rains. Orthanadu in Thanjavur, Ramanathapuram, Ketty in Nilgiris, Manimutharu in Tiruneveli also recorded heavy rains in the last 24 hours. Chennai city has been experiencing intermittent heavy rains with several low lying areas getting water logged. <br/>The met office in Chennai has forecast heavy rains in the coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the next 2 days. A bulletin issued by the weather offices says isolated heavy rain is also likely to occur over interior Tamil Nadu during the same period. It has also said that that strong onshore winds from north easterly to Easterly direction with speed occasionally reaching 45- 55 kmph is liley along and off tamil nadu and Puducherry coast.<br/>