Natural Disasters in Charleston, MS

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

40.1

Very Low

Expected Annual Loss

26.0

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

90.7

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

12.2

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Drought85.3Earthquake80.3Strong Wind78.4

Hazard	Risk Score
Drought	85.3
Earthquake	80.3
Strong Wind	78.4
Heat Wave	68.3
Tornado	65.8
Hurricane	64.5
Cold Wave	50.2
Landslide	48.4
Lightning	45.8
Wildfire	42.0
Hail	38.5
Ice Storm	31.5
Winter Weather	7.3

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 OpenFEMA

Total Declarations

Most Recent

Winter Storm

Feb 2026

Most Common Type

Severe Storm

12 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Feb 6, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Jan 24, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
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
Mar 12, 2020	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING
Apr 23, 2019	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Mar 25, 2016	Flood	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Jan 4, 2016	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING
Aug 30, 2008	Hurricane	HURRICANE GUSTAV
Aug 29, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA
Dec 7, 2001	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES AND FLOODING
Feb 23, 2001	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND TORNADOES
Jan 25, 1999	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, ICE AND FREEZING RAIN
Feb 18, 1994	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM, FREEEZING RAIN AND SLEET
May 17, 1991	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES & FLOODING
Mar 5, 1991	Flood	SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING

Showing 20 of 27 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

122

Total IA Distributed

$124,097

Repair/Replace

$21,739

Rental Assistance

$10,206

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-4248	1	N/A	—
DR-4528	15	$84,258	—
DR-4268	98	$32,474	$773
DR-4697	3	$4,276	$850
DR-4494	1	$2,535	—
DR-1972	4	$554	$277

Individual and household assistance for homeowners and renters affected by federally declared disasters.

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

102

Total Claims Paid

$766,584

Avg Claim Payout

$7,516

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$2,300,825

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

146

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4429	Other	23	$684,515
DR-4268	Flood	17	$373,265
DR-1360	Severe Storm(s)	40	$347,424
DR-1398	Severe Storm(s)	20	$342,259
DR-4478	Severe Storm(s)	16	$178,948
DR-4248	Severe Storm(s)	4	$124,242
DR-4598	Winter Storm	5	$121,343
DR-1604	Hurricane	12	$60,617
DR-4528	Biological	3	$41,810
DR-4536	Severe Storm(s)	6	$26,402

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$2,308,072

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

6.57

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
601.2: Generators - Regular	13	$311,612
600.1: Warning Systems (as a Component of a Planned, Adopted, and Exercised Risk Reduction Plan)	7	$273,031
601.1: Generators	7	$639,892
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	4	$682,846
206.2: Safe Room (Tornado and Severe Wind Shelter) - Public Structures	3	$15,730

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

Charleston has a very low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are drought, earthquake, strong wind. The area has had 27 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is severe storm (12 declarations). 102 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $2,300,825 in public assistance recovery funding. $124,097 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 37 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.