Natural Disasters in Athens, LA
Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data
Natural Hazard Risk
Source: FEMA National Risk IndexRisk Score
41.7
Very Low
Expected Annual Loss
23.4
Score (0-100)
Social Vulnerability
98.6
Score (0-100)
Community Resilience
7.6
Score (0-100)
Top Hazard Risks
| Hazard | Risk Score |
|---|---|
| Ice Storm | 94.4 |
| Strong Wind | 88.3 |
| Lightning | 84.0 |
| Heat Wave | 73.1 |
| Hail | 71.9 |
| Hurricane | 69.5 |
| Tornado | 63.0 |
| Earthquake | 48.8 |
| Drought | 47.2 |
| Landslide | 46.0 |
| Wildfire | 28.6 |
| Winter Weather | 11.4 |
| Cold Wave | 11.3 |
Scores range from 0 (lowest risk) to 100 (highest risk) relative to all U.S. communities. Data from FEMA National Risk Index.
Disaster Declarations
Source: FEMA OpenFEMATotal Declarations
34
Most Recent
Winter Storm
Jan 2026
Most Common Type
Hurricane
16 declarations
| Date | Type | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM |
| Sep 10, 2024 | Hurricane | TROPICAL STORM FRANCINE |
| Sep 13, 2021 | Coastal Storm | TROPICAL STORM NICHOLAS |
| Aug 29, 2021 | Hurricane | HURRICANE IDA |
| Aug 27, 2021 | Hurricane | TROPICAL STORM IDA |
| Mar 9, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORMS |
| Feb 18, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM |
| Oct 27, 2020 | Hurricane | TROPICAL STORM ZETA |
| Oct 16, 2020 | Hurricane | HURRICANE DELTA |
| Oct 7, 2020 | Hurricane | HURRICANE DELTA |
| Sep 14, 2020 | Hurricane | HURRICANE SALLY |
| Aug 28, 2020 | Hurricane | HURRICANE LAURA |
| Aug 23, 2020 | Hurricane | TROPICAL STORMS LAURA AND MARCO |
| Jun 7, 2020 | Coastal Storm | TROPICAL STORM CRISTOBAL |
| Mar 24, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 |
| Mar 13, 2016 | Flood | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING |
| Aug 29, 2012 | Hurricane | HURRICANE ISAAC |
| Dec 10, 2009 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING |
| Sep 2, 2008 | Hurricane | HURRICANE GUSTAV |
Showing 20 of 34 declarations
Individual Assistance
Source: FEMA Housing AssistanceTotal IA Registrations
484
Total IA Distributed
$668,031
Repair/Replace
$332,134
Rental Assistance
$98,514
| Disaster | Registrations | Total IA $ | Avg Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR-4570 | 1 | N/A | — |
| DR-4277 | 1 | N/A | — |
| DR-4263 | 379 | $507,463 | $801 |
| DR-4484 | 33 | $129,379 | — |
| DR-4590 | 58 | $30,739 | $876 |
| DR-4559 | 12 | $449 | — |
Individual and household assistance for homeowners and renters affected by federally declared disasters.
Flood Insurance (NFIP)
Source: FEMA NFIPTotal Claims
65
Total Claims Paid
$1,836,258
Avg Claim Payout
$28,250
County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.
Disaster Recovery Spending
Source: FEMA Public AssistanceTotal Federal Spending
$1,051,976
Disasters with PA
7
Total Projects
51
| Disaster | Type | Projects | Federal $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR-4263 | Flood | 17 | $393,426 |
| DR-4590 | Severe Storm(s) | 7 | $302,080 |
| DR-1357 | Severe Ice Storm | 5 | $134,428 |
| DR-1603 | Hurricane | 2 | $83,854 |
| DR-4559 | Hurricane | 3 | $66,169 |
| DR-1786 | Hurricane | 8 | $41,765 |
| DR-1863 | Severe Storm(s) | 9 | $30,255 |
Hazard Mitigation
Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation AssistanceMitigation Projects
2
Federal Funding
$311,355
Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio
0.83
BCR
Top Mitigation Project Types
| Project Type | Projects | Federal $ |
|---|---|---|
| 403.1: Stormwater Management - Culverts | 1 | $246,355 |
| 91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan | 1 | $65,000 |
Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.
Athens has a very low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are ice storm, strong wind, lightning. The area has had 34 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is hurricane (16 declarations). 65 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $1,051,976 in public assistance recovery funding. $668,031 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 2 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.