Kendrapada: The woes of nearly 6 lakh flood-hit people in Jajpur and Kendrapada districts continues even after three weeks of the deluge with large areas still submerged by the swollen Baitarani, Brahmani and their tributaries. Floodwaters have submerged 405 villages across Dasarathpur, Bari, Binjharpur, Korei, Barachana, Rasulpur and Jajpur blocks in Jajpur district, and 140 villages in Aul, Pattamundai, Rajkanika and Rajnagar blocks in Kendrapada district. For many affected families, the flood has destroyed homes and forced them to seek shelter on roads, rooftops or with relatives living on higher ground.Soudamini Mallick, 58, of Malikapur village under Dasarathpur block, is among those who have lost their homes. Her 5-room thatched house collapsed two weeks ago, forcing her and her family members to take shelter in a small polythene-covered tent by the roadside. “Floodwater entered my house on Aug 10 after the Kani river breached near our village. I was forced to abandon the house along with five members of my family,” she said.Several villages remain under waist-deep water, with residents struggling for food and shelter. “The whole village is in water. We are suffering a lot,” said Prasant Sahoo, 56, of Duttapur village under Dasarathapur block.The situation has been aggravated by fresh rainfall over the past two days. “In the worst-hit areas, little can be done until the water recedes. Nobody is sure how long that will take. Incessant rain for the last two days has added to our woes,” said Pariikhia Jena, 63, of Gamu village under Bari block.District emergency officer, Jajpur, Ashok Behera said 4,34,632 people in 405 villages had been affected by the floods and that the authorities were providing relief materials to the affected population. In Kendrapada’s Pattamundai block, several villages have been turned into isolated islands by the floodwaters.Rangalata Rout, 56, of Alava village under Pattamundai block, took refuge with four family members on the roof of a pucca house on Aug 18 after the Brahmani breached an embankment near the village. They remained there for four days before returning home, only to find the walls of their thatched house had collapsed. “I was shocked to see my damaged thatched house,” Rout said while standing in knee-deep water outside her home.In Kendrapada district alone, 1,96,779 people in 140 villages have been affected. Collector Raghuram R Iyer said the district administration was providing relief materials and other assistance to flood-hit people.With floodwaters receding slowly, many displaced families may have to wait for at least another week before they can return home. Children remain particularly vulnerable in the prolonged crisis. Social worker Biraja Pati said they faced increased risks of disease as well as physical and mental distress after being forced to leave their homes and stay in relief camps.