Natural Disasters in Columbus, NC

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

36.9

Very Low

Expected Annual Loss

26.5

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

84.7

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

29.5

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Landslide98.3Ice Storm87.2Lightning67.3

Hazard	Risk Score
Landslide	98.3
Ice Storm	87.2
Lightning	67.3
Hurricane	60.9
Strong Wind	55.1
Tornado	53.7
Earthquake	51.7
Drought	47.0
Cold Wave	45.7
Wildfire	43.5
Hail	36.3
Heat Wave	16.5
Winter Weather	11.5

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

Hurricane

9 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jan 24, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Mar 22, 2025	Fire	BLACK COVE FIRE COMPLEX
Sep 28, 2024	Tropical Storm	TROPICAL STORM HELENE
Oct 1, 2022	Hurricane	HURRICANE IAN
Aug 2, 2020	Hurricane	HURRICANE ISAIAS
May 8, 2020	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Mar 25, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Sep 3, 2019	Hurricane	HURRICANE DORIAN
Sep 14, 2018	Hurricane	HURRICANE FLORENCE
Sep 10, 2018	Hurricane	HURRICANE FLORENCE
Sep 25, 2013	Flood	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Sep 5, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Sep 18, 2004	Hurricane	HURRICANE IVAN
Sep 10, 2004	Hurricane	TROPICAL STORM FRANCES
Dec 12, 2002	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE ICE STORM
Sep 6, 1996	Hurricane	HURRICANE FRAN
Feb 23, 1996	Snowstorm	WINTER STORM
Jan 13, 1996	Snowstorm	BLIZZARD OF 96
Mar 17, 1993	Snowstorm	SEVERE SNOWFALL & WINTER STORM

Showing 20 of 22 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

6,046

Total IA Distributed

$9,513,856

Repair/Replace

$3,801,954

Rental Assistance

$320,294

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-4393	5	N/A	—
DR-4241	8	N/A	$222
DR-4827	4,974	$8,109,062	$1,950
DR-4829	950	$951,381	$349
DR-4492	43	$275,430	—
DR-4487	31	$141,207	—
DR-1546	14	$21,209	$3,597
DR-1553	19	$15,087	$2,132
DR-1566	2	$480	$306

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

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

Total Claims Paid

$4,435,827

Avg Claim Payout

$56,150

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$9,853,389

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4827	Tropical Storm	49	$8,936,497
DR-1546	Hurricane	11	$859,984
DR-1553	Hurricane	3	$22,998
DR-4146	Flood	2	$22,291
DR-4487	Biological	1	$6,310
DR-1448	Severe Ice Storm	2	$5,308

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$26,612

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

1.53

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
601.1: Generators	2	$11,612
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	1	$15,000
800.1: Miscellaneous	1	$0
602.1: Other Equipment Purchase and Installation	1	$0

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

Columbus has a very low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are landslide, ice storm, lightning. The area has had 22 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is hurricane (9 declarations). 79 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $9,853,389 in public assistance recovery funding. $9,513,856 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 5 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.