Natural Disasters in Carthage, MS

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

55.7

Relatively Low

Expected Annual Loss

38.8

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

95.8

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

11.4

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Strong Wind89.9Hurricane81.8Tornado77.9

Hazard	Risk Score
Strong Wind	89.9
Hurricane	81.8
Tornado	77.9
Hail	70.7
Heat Wave	67.8
Cold Wave	67.4
Drought	65.5
Earthquake	63.2
Landslide	62.3
Ice Storm	60.6
Lightning	57.9
Wildfire	51.9
Winter Weather	46.8

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 OpenFEMA

Total Declarations

Most Recent

Winter Storm

Jan 2026

Most Common Type

Severe Storm

10 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jan 24, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Aug 12, 2023	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADOES.
Oct 22, 2021	Hurricane	HURRICANE IDA
Aug 28, 2021	Hurricane	HURRICANE IDA
May 4, 2021	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS
Apr 16, 2020	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING
Apr 5, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Dec 6, 2019	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORM, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING
Mar 25, 2016	Flood	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Apr 30, 2014	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Aug 29, 2012	Hurricane	HURRICANE ISAAC
Aug 30, 2008	Hurricane	HURRICANE GUSTAV
Aug 29, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA
Jul 10, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE DENNIS
Apr 24, 2003	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, FLOODS
Dec 7, 2001	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES AND FLOODING
Apr 17, 2001	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Jan 25, 1999	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, ICE AND FREEZING RAIN
Nov 25, 1992	Tornado	SEVERE STORMS, HIGH WINDS & TORNADOES

Showing 20 of 26 declarations

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

Total Claims Paid

$981,994

Avg Claim Payout

$18,185

County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$7,597,629

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

124

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-1604	Hurricane	31	$2,197,693
DR-4598	Winter Storm	10	$1,835,544
DR-4727	Severe Storm(s)	1	$813,818
DR-4470	Severe Storm(s)	8	$638,097
DR-4536	Severe Storm(s)	4	$411,984
DR-1365	Severe Storm(s)	17	$315,525
DR-1972	Severe Storm(s)	4	$255,419
DR-1459	Severe Storm(s)	14	$206,621
DR-4528	Biological	5	$198,939
DR-1265	Severe Ice Storm	4	$180,427
DR-4268	Flood	8	$171,684
DR-4175	Severe Storm(s)	3	$130,538
DR-1906	Severe Storm(s)	1	$87,635
DR-1398	Severe Storm(s)	5	$59,799
DR-1360	Severe Storm(s)	1	$38,355

Showing top 15 of 17 disasters by spending

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$148,403

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

1.21

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
600.1: Warning Systems (as a Component of a Planned, Adopted, and Exercised Risk Reduction Plan)	3	$66,802
601.1: Generators	2	$81,601
601.2: Generators - Regular	1	$0

Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.

Carthage has a relatively low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are strong wind, hurricane, tornado. The area has had 26 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is severe storm (10 declarations). 54 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $7,597,629 in public assistance recovery funding. 6 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.