Chennai, Oct. 27. (PTI/UNI): Normal life in the cityand suburbs was virtually paralysed following incessant rains and gusty winds since last night.

Several areas in the city are under knee-deep water while low-lying areas in north Chennai are inundated as the city recorded 20 cm of rains since last night.

Over 4000 people have been evacuated and lodged in 250 corporation-run schools in various parts of the city, corporation officials said today.

The Government has declared a holiday for schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts where more rains have been forecast due to a depression in the Bay of Bengal.

Chennai Corporation Commissioner P Vijaykumar said a special control room had been opened to help the affected people.

Most international flights scheduled to arrive at the city airport have been diverted to Thiruvananthapuram airport, sources said, adding departures are also likely to be delayed. Rain water had submerged tracks between Mambalam and Egmore stations in the suburban Tambaram-Chennai beach section disrupting rail traffic.

Authorities are maintaining skeletal bus services even as most auto-rickshaws remained off the roads. Most of the roads and subways were under water.

A report from Pondicherry said various parts of the Union Territory too have been experiencing non-stop rains since last night, affecting normal life.

The administration has declared a holiday for all educational institutions, including private ones, today in view of the incessant rains.

Meanwhile, a weather bulletin said that yesterday's depression lay centred at about 400 km east south east of Chennai at 0230 hrs. It was likely to move in north westerly direction bringing heavy to very heavy rainfall at many places in north coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh in the next 24 hrs.

Wind squalls with speeds of 55 to 65 kms were likely in north coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh.

The sea would be rough to very rough and fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea. Intermittent rainfall, heavy at times, were likely to lash the city and its suburbs. The surface winds will be strong at times the bulletin warned.