The record rain that swamped the Charleston area over the weekend has cut Norfolk Southern’s rail line into Charleston, and the railroad does not expect to restore service until at least Friday, The Post and Courier reported.
In an advisory Monday, Norfolk Southern said the line “has experienced significant damage and is currently inoperable.” A spokeswoman said three lines were closed: Columbia to Charleston, Columbia to Spartanburg and Charlotte to Columbia. The outage will disrupt shipments of BMW vehicles from the automaker’s Greer plant to the Port of Charleston for export.
CSX track was also damaged. Century Aluminum said washouts on the rail line serving its Mount Holly smelter near Goose Creek will delay raw material deliveries through Tuesday.
The port itself came through with minor scheduling delays, according to the State Ports Authority. Two container ships and a breakbulk vessel arrived late, and crane work stopped for about 15 minutes Saturday night.
Most large manufacturers reported little or no damage. Mercedes-Benz Vans idled its North Charleston line Monday because of road and school closures and planned to restart Tuesday. Boeing kept its 787 campus running through the weekend but saw higher than normal absences Monday. Bosch’s North Charleston plant cut some shifts for safety. Volvo Cars said the rain should not delay construction of its plant near Ridgeville.
Rainfall totals the National Weather Service released Monday showed 15 to 20 inches across much of the tri-county area over the four days ending Monday morning, with more than 25 inches in spots.
President Barack Obama declared a major disaster for South Carolina on Monday, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The declaration opens the door to federal aid.
Insurers are bracing for a wave of claims, state Insurance Director Ray Farmer told the newspaper. Damage from rising water is generally covered only by separate federal flood insurance policies, which not all property owners are required to buy.
