BRISTOL, Conn. (WTNH) — Cities and towns across Connecticut felt the impact of Wednesday’s flash flooding, including Bristol, where leaders said seven roadways were forced to closed. 

One of those areas was the intersection of Middle and King Streets, where Routes 229 and 72 overlap. Video obtained by News 8 shows that the Pequabuck River overflowed, flooding that intersection.   

Hambler Olmino owns Hambler’s Pizza, which is located near that crossing. He said he only opened his business four months ago, but he has had to close it twice due to this summer’s flash flooding.  

“This is the second time it happened,” Olmino said. “It’s a little frustrating, because they closed road, so we had no business.”

He said, luckily, he only had to close for 30 minutes on Wednesday. But the first-time restaurant owner said he was not aware that the area was prone to flooding until after he bought the business.   

“Hopefully, it doesn’t affect us that much, but we’re going to work with what we have,” Olmino said.  

On Sharon Street, one mother showed News 8 cellphone video of her flooded, dead-end street. She declined to give her name, but said she couldn’t drive her children to school for two hours.   

Bristol Mayor Jeff Caggiano said that throughout the city, three cars got stuck in the floodwater.

“These flashfloods are happening more often, unfortunately,” Caggiano said. “This summer, the groundwater is high, and we’ve had them. It’s a 20-minute event a lot of times, and we’re asking for patience from people.”   

The city’s department of public works said the clean-up was all hands-on deck, with 28 crew members working to clear the roads before lunchtime.  

Bristol police officers and firefighters also helped to close flooded roads, divert traffic and pump out some basements.  

“A longer-duration event actually creates flooding in different areas and has different effects,” Caggiano said. “But this flash flood stuff is different. We haven’t seen flooding in some of these areas.”

Olmino said if the flooding continues, it’ll be tough for his family and his business. 

“We’re going to try and give it a couple times,” he said. “It’s my wife and I, so it’s not like we can decide, ‘Let’s go somewhere else.’”