Thousands of people have taken shelter in relief camps as heavy monsoon rains hit India's southern metropolis of Chennai, with 12 deaths reported in recent days.

Schools in Chennai and other coastal towns were closed as water-logging was reported from many low-lying areas, disrupting daily life and traffic.

According to the government, more than 10,000 people sought refuge in over 100 state-run relief camps in Chennai, India's fourth largest city, and its neighbouring districts.

‘The rains have eased as of Saturday, but regional weather officials predict intermittent heavy showers over the next few days,’ an official at the state disaster control room in Chennai said by phone.

Twelve people have been killed due to rain-related incidents since October 27, the Times of India reported.

Chennai received as much as 140 millimetres of rain on Thursday and Friday and the downpour triggered fears of the 2015 deluge in which 150 people died in the city.

The popular Marina beach in Chennai was water-logged on Friday, with the beach-front hardly visible.

Surrounding districts like Kanchipuram and Nagapattinam also continued to suffer as a result of the monsoon fury, with incessant rains submerging houses and inundating farms.

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