Natural Disasters in Ethel, MS

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

34.2

Very Low

Expected Annual Loss

26.1

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

80.1

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

33.7

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Tornado73.0Earthquake70.0Hail69.2

Hazard	Risk Score
Tornado	73.0
Earthquake	70.0
Hail	69.2
Hurricane	68.3
Landslide	62.7
Drought	60.8
Heat Wave	60.6
Strong Wind	59.6
Cold Wave	53.2
Ice Storm	52.1
Lightning	48.1
Wildfire	47.5
Winter Weather	38.3

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

8 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Feb 6, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
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 23, 2020	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND MUDSLIDES
Apr 5, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Aug 29, 2012	Hurricane	HURRICANE ISAAC
Aug 28, 2012	Hurricane	TROPICAL STORM ISAAC
Apr 29, 2011	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND ASSOCIATED FLOODING
Apr 29, 2010	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
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
Apr 17, 2001	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Feb 23, 2001	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND TORNADOES
Jan 25, 1999	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, ICE AND FREEZING RAIN

Showing 20 of 23 declarations

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

Total Claims Paid

$455,466

Avg Claim Payout

$17,518

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$1,824,924

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-1365	Severe Storm(s)	44	$1,110,284
DR-1604	Hurricane	10	$219,166
DR-1360	Severe Storm(s)	9	$125,483
DR-4528	Biological	5	$105,543
DR-4538	Severe Storm(s)	5	$96,879
DR-4598	Winter Storm	3	$92,438
DR-1906	Severe Storm(s)	5	$44,032
DR-1265	Severe Ice Storm	2	$31,099

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$222,369

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

0.38

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
601.1: Generators	4	$103,908
600.1: Warning Systems (as a Component of a Planned, Adopted, and Exercised Risk Reduction Plan)	2	$118,461
206.2: Safe Room (Tornado and Severe Wind Shelter) - Public Structures	1	$0

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

Ethel has a very low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are tornado, earthquake, hail. The area has had 23 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is severe storm (8 declarations). 26 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $1,824,924 in public assistance recovery funding. 7 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.