Natural Disasters in West Hattiesburg, MS
Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data
Natural Hazard Risk
Source: FEMA National Risk IndexRisk Score
65.0
Relatively Low
Expected Annual Loss
63.0
Score (0-100)
Social Vulnerability
55.6
Score (0-100)
Community Resilience
55.5
Score (0-100)
Scores range from 0 (lowest risk) to 100 (highest risk) relative to all U.S. communities. Data from FEMA National Risk Index.
Disaster History & Federal Spending
Source: FEMATotal Declarations
25
Public Assistance
$5.0M
Individual Assistance
$37.6M
Most Common Type
Hurricane
16 declarations
| Disaster | Type | Date | PA $ | IA $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm → | Winter Storm | Jan 2026 | — | — |
| Hurricane Ida → | Hurricane | Oct 2021 | — | — |
| Hurricane Ida → | Hurricane | Aug 2021 | — | — |
| Hurricane Zeta → | Hurricane | Oct 2020 | — | — |
| Hurricane Sally → | Hurricane | Sep 2020 | — | — |
| Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura → | Hurricane | Aug 2020 | — | — |
| Covid-19 Pandemic → | Biological | Apr 2020 | — | $3.4M |
| Covid-19 → | Biological | Mar 2020 | — | — |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding → | Tornado | Jan 2017 | $625K | $2.5M |
| Severe Storms and Flooding → | Flood | Mar 2016 | $98K | $322K |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding → | Severe Storm | Feb 2013 | $995K | $2.3M |
| Hurricane Isaac → | Hurricane | Aug 2012 | $363K | $301K |
| Tropical Storm Isaac → | Hurricane | Aug 2012 | — | — |
| Hurricane Gustav → | Hurricane | Aug 2008 | $41K | — |
| Hurricane Katrina → | Hurricane | Aug 2005 | $2.6M | $28.7M |
| Hurricane Katrina → | Hurricane | Aug 2005 | — | — |
| Hurricane Dennis → | Hurricane | Jul 2005 | $31K | — |
| Hurricane Ivan → | Hurricane | Sep 2004 | $77K | — |
| Severe Storms and Tornadoes → | Severe Storm | Feb 2001 | $246K | — |
| Hurricane Georges → | Hurricane | Oct 1998 | — | — |
Showing 20 of 29 disasters
PA = FEMA Public Assistance (infrastructure recovery). IA = Individual Assistance (homeowner/renter aid).
Flood Insurance (NFIP)
Source: FEMA NFIPTotal Claims
397
Total Claims Paid
$5,861,063
Avg Claim Payout
$14,763
County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.
Hazard Mitigation
Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation AssistanceMitigation Projects
12
Federal Funding
$3,793,573
Properties Protected
52
Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio
2.93
BCR
Top Mitigation Project Types
| Project Type | Projects | Federal $ |
|---|---|---|
| 601.1: Generators | 4 | $232,320 |
| 200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine | 2 | $73,601 |
| 500.3: Flood Control - Dam | 2 | $159,500 |
| 600.1: Warning Systems (as a Component of a Planned, Adopted, and Exercised Risk Reduction Plan) | 1 | $108,787 |
| 206.2: Safe Room (Tornado and Severe Wind Shelter) - Public Structures | 1 | $2,346,988 |
Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.
West Hattiesburg has a relatively low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are hurricane, wildfire, heat wave. The area has had 25 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is hurricane (16 declarations). 397 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $5,030,867 in public assistance recovery funding. $37,553,540 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 12 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.