Natural Disasters in Decatur, MS

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

52.4

Relatively Low

Expected Annual Loss

37.9

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

94.4

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

32.2

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Tornado83.5Hurricane80.1Cold Wave74.4

Hazard	Risk Score
Tornado	83.5
Hurricane	80.1
Cold Wave	74.4
Strong Wind	71.8
Hail	66.3
Heat Wave	65.0
Drought	63.6
Lightning	60.2
Landslide	58.0
Earthquake	57.6
Ice Storm	57.5
Winter Weather	43.1
Wildfire	38.7

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

9 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 5, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Dec 6, 2019	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORM, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING
Feb 14, 2019	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND TORNADO
Apr 30, 2014	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Aug 29, 2012	Hurricane	HURRICANE ISAAC
Apr 29, 2011	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND ASSOCIATED FLOODING
Aug 30, 2008	Hurricane	HURRICANE GUSTAV
Aug 29, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA
Jul 10, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE DENNIS
Sep 15, 2004	Hurricane	HURRICANE IVAN
Apr 24, 2003	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, FLOODS
Nov 25, 1992	Tornado	SEVERE STORMS, HIGH WINDS & TORNADOES
Feb 28, 1990	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES & FLOODING
Apr 16, 1979	Severe Storm	STORMS, TORNADOES, FLOODS

Showing 20 of 23 declarations

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

Total Claims Paid

$120,593

Avg Claim Payout

$10,049

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$3,080,411

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

219

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-1459	Severe Storm(s)	101	$1,737,405
DR-1604	Hurricane	61	$752,768
DR-4081	Hurricane	9	$144,872
DR-4598	Winter Storm	2	$144,778
DR-4175	Severe Storm(s)	5	$125,133
DR-1550	Hurricane	18	$68,023
DR-1972	Severe Storm(s)	14	$67,316
DR-4528	Biological	4	$26,038
DR-3291	Hurricane	2	$6,466
DR-4415	Severe Storm(s)	2	$5,827
DR-1594	Hurricane	1	$1,787

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$202,322

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

0.24

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)	5	$188,106
601.2: Generators - Regular	1	$14,216

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

Decatur has a relatively low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are tornado, hurricane, cold wave. The area has had 23 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is severe storm (9 declarations). 12 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $3,080,411 in public assistance recovery funding. 6 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.