Nucor resumes normal operations in Carolinas

US steelmaker Nucor has resumed normal operations in the Carolinas after taking several of its facilities in the region offline last week ahead of Hurricane Florence.

The Charlotte-based company suspended operations at several facilities on 12 September as the coastal states braced for the storm, including halting production at its Berkeley, South Carolina, sheet mill and Hertford, North Carolina, plate mill.

Nucor did not sustain any major damage in the storm, and all of its employees are safe and accounted for, the company told Argus today.

The suspension is not expected to impact customer orders.

Liberty Steel's Georgetown, South Carolina, wire rod mill outside of Charleston was also heard to be operational Monday.

Metals recyclers in inland areas in the Carolinas reached by Argus had re-opened with minimal damage from the storm.

Vessel operations have also resumed at ports in Charleston and Virginia.

But the hard-hit ports of Wilmington and Morehead City on North Carolina's southern coast, where Florence made landfall on 14 September, will remain closed through Wednesday as damage to the facilities is assessed, according to the North Carolina State Ports Authority.

Much of eastern North Carolina still is dealing with flooding and nearly 500,000 remain without power Monday after Florence dumped more than 30 inches of rain on parts of the state. Major river flooding is expected to continue through the week.

Florence, now a tropical depression, is expected to bring heavy rainfall to the northern mid-Atlantic states and portions of New England through Tuesday as it moves north and east.