By Felice J. Freyer
Journal medical writer

Three dozen restaurants and other food establishments from Cumberland to Westerly were forced to close because of last week's massive flooding in Rhode Island. But by Wednesday,12 had passed health inspections and reopened, according to state Health Department data.

Most of the affected restaurants are in Warwick, including the nine inside the Warwick Mall, but restaurants and food stores in Smithfield, Providence and East Providence, among other places, also had to close.

Dale Venturini, president of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association, says that not only were food businesses shut down, but their employees were left out of work. As for the impact, she said, "It's going to be months before we figure this all out."

The Department of Health last week ordered all food establishments to shut down if they had experienced flooding, sewage backup, power loss or plumbing difficulties. None could be reopened without passing a health inspection.

Venturini said no establishments had to delay reopening because they were waiting for a health inspection. She praised the Health Department's Office of Food Protection. "They have been right on top of this," she said.

Among the 24 food establishments still closed because of flooding are Mario's Pizza on Pontiac Ave., Cranston; the Shaw's supermarket and Pizza Hut at 320 Warwick Ave., Warwick; Twist, a restaurant at 336 Bald Hill Rd., Warwick; and the Up River Cafe at 37 Main St., Westerly.