Torrential rain over the past couple of days has thrown life out of gear in parts of southern India.

Flight services were disrupted in Karnataka while in Tamil Nadu, heavy rains battered Karur, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and coastal Pudukkottai and Nagapattinam districts. \

The worst-affected was the Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu.

Four members of a family were killed in a roof collapse following incessant rains in Tiruchirapalli. Police said Janakiraman (43), a tailor, his wife Jothibai (36), Mahesh (17) and Manikandan (10) were killed on the spot after the tiled roof along with one side of the wall of their house collapsed on them.

Two persons each in Chengalpattu and Srivilliputhur died in similar incidents early on Wednesday, police sources said. A farmer near Arani in Tiruvannamalai district and a labourer in suburban Avadi also died in a wall collapse.

The delta districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Pudukkottai districts were badly hit as paddy crops spread over several thousand hectares were submerged under the water. The widespread heavy rainfall inundated low-lying areas and streets remained water-clogged, forcing people to remain indoors.

Train services were affected as rain water flooded the track between Kalpatti Chathiram and Ariyalur stations. Following this, the Tuticorin-Chennai Pearl City Express and the Tiruvananthapuram-Chennai Egmore Ananthapuri Express were detained at Dindigul for more than four hours on Tuesday night.

The Madurai-bound Pandiyan Express and Howrah-Kanniyakumari Express were detained at Srirangam and Tiruchirapalli Junction respectively. The detained trains left for their destination on Wednesday morning, railway sources said.

Strong winds and rough seas prevented fishermen from venturing out. Since they would be deprived of income, the government ordered distribution of five kilos of rice to fishermen's families in Puducherry and Karaikal regions, education and fisheries minister M O H F Shahjahan said.

Puducherry district collector G Theva Needhi Dhas said task forces had been formed at the community level with field staff of revenue, PWD and local administration departments.

The weather office has warned that onshore winds from the north-easterly direction, with speeds reaching up to 50 to 60 kmph, were likely along the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts.

Orathanadu, in Thanjavur district, recorded a maximum rainfall of 30 cm in the last 24 hours ending at 8 am on Wednesday. It was followed by Dharapuram at 27 cm, Thozhuthur and Perungalur with 24 cm each and Panruthi at 23 cm.

The meteorological office has predicted more rains for Tamil Nadu for another 24 hours starting 8:30 am on Wednesday, as the trough of low pressure lay centred over the Gulf of Mannar and south West Bay off the Tamil Nadu coast.

The school education department had declared a holiday for schools across Tamil Nadu on Wednesday in view of the heavy downpour.