Ba market yaqona seller Damendra Kumar lost more than a $1000 worth of goods after another flood affected the town over the weekend. He said after this fourth flood this year, the market vendors were getting frustrated. “Something has to be done and quickly,” he said.

“This is a problem that happens every year but nothing is done. Today (yesterday) we came again to clean up and we don’t want to keep doing this every time there is a flood.”

He said the kava market was closed off yesterday for vendors to clean up.

“We brought in our own labourers and we had to hire a water pump to get water from the river and clean the market.

“Our tables and stalls are completely wet and if it keeps going on like this, we will have to build new ones.

“We spend a lot of money to move our belongings and our stock to safety and then bringing it back. This is costing us a lot when we don’t have money to spend.”

According to the Ba Town Council, vendors have been urged to clear out leftover stock until the weather clears up.

Yesterday, the council and its staff worked with relevant authorities to clean up mud and debris left behind by floodwaters.