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(AP) Slowly rising rivers threatened inundation of hundreds more acres of southern Ohio farm lands today and flood conditions were predicted for several days despite the cessation of heavy rains. Swollen streams have claimed three lives and have poured out over a number of highways

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The Hocking river was receding at Athens-co, but the Ohio river was rising steadily at Portsmouth and Cincinnati. At Portsmouth a stage of 50 feet was expected today. Flood stage there is about 60 feet. One of the two highways running west from Portsmouth was under water and the other was threatened with inundation. Cincinnati expected a peak of 45 feet by tommorow, seven feet less than the Ohio's flood stage there

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Southern Ohio was the worst sufferer with water standing over fields and roads and in some cases entering basements to provide an unwelcome contrast with drought conditions of last summer.

Highways inundated included part of Route 23 near Piketon, Pike-c. state route 11 between Jackson and Chillicothe, U.S. Route 21. north of Marietta and Ohio Route 13 between Trimble and Gloucester. The Ohio was stationary at Marietta.

Damage left by the Hocking river in Athens-co was counted in flooded basements and low-lands and ruined food supplies in several farm homes. Oat fields must be replanted and many acres of winter were damaged.

The drowning victims were Thomas Justice, 9, of Sciotoville, who fell into back waters of the Little Scioto; Glen Shutts, 8, of Gallipolis, who drwoned near Point Pleasent, across the river from Pomeroy, and Herbert Dollison, 16, of Barberton, whose row-boat overturned in the flood waters of Big Still Water creek south of Tippecanoe, near New Philadelphia.