KARNAL, June 10 — At least 125 men, women and children were trapped near Balhera village, near here, last night because of flash floods in the Yamuna.

Official sources told TNS that the district administration had to rush motor boats to evacuate the marooned people. Most of them, evacuated today morning, were labourers who had been sowing water melon, musk melon and other type of fruits in the Yamuna bed. They live in jhuggis there for two to three months before the onset of monsoon, but before the onset of rains, they were caught unaware.

Yesterday's flash flood in the Yamuna broke over a century-old record. A flood of such intensity had not been witnessed in the river during June.

According to official sources, the flood discharge in the Yamuna at Balhera was reported to be 2.50 lakh cusec. At Tajewala headworks, the discharge was reported to be 2,08 lakh cusec. The flash flood was because of 110-120 mm rain the catchment area of the river.

Meanwhile, certain areas in Karnal district also experienced 80 mm of rain in two days till yesterday. This too is a record for June in the city.

According to a report from Yamunanagar two persons died in flash floods and two others were saved by local residents.

Although people heaved a sigh of relief from the oppressing heat the pre-monsoon rain claimed two lives and damaged hundred of acres of crops. After two days’ continuous rain the Tajewala Headworks Authority released water yesterday due to heavy rain in the catchment area of the Yamuna.

It is gathered that for the first time 208000 cusecs of water had been reported in the Yamuna. Dozens of villages near the river have also been flooded.

According to information one 10-year-old boy, Azaib Singh of Rajheri village in Radaur constituency was drowned last evening while trying to get a water melon from the river. His body has not been recovered as yet. Satbir (25), a son of Phool Chand of Gumthala village, died when he tried to hold on to a log which was swept away from the river in the hilly area.

The crop of water melon, cucumber and urad dal have been almost damaged. The affected villages include Sandala, Sandali, Tapu-Kamalpur, Gora Pipli, Jodhpur, Pouri, Lal Chhappar, Unheri etc. It has also been reported that as a result of floods certain people in a few villages have had to climb on the rooftop. It is further gathered that in addition to the vegetables which were damaged a number of household things of the villagers were also washed away in the floods.