Natural Disasters in Granite Falls, NC

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

67.4

Relatively Low

Expected Annual Loss

67.7

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

45.0

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

30.1

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Landslide90.5Ice Storm88.0Earthquake77.6

Hazard	Risk Score
Landslide	90.5
Ice Storm	88.0
Earthquake	77.6
Strong Wind	74.1
Lightning	70.7
Hurricane	66.0
Tornado	62.1
Wildfire	52.0
Drought	50.9
Cold Wave	50.7
Hail	46.8
Heat Wave	39.3
Winter Weather	36.3

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

Jan 2026

Most Common Type

Hurricane

7 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jan 24, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Sep 28, 2024	Tropical Storm	TROPICAL STORM HELENE
Mar 3, 2021	Severe Storm	TROPICAL STORM ETA
Aug 2, 2020	Hurricane	HURRICANE ISAIAS
Mar 25, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Sep 3, 2019	Hurricane	HURRICANE DORIAN
Sep 10, 2018	Hurricane	HURRICANE FLORENCE
Sep 25, 2013	Flood	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Feb 2, 2010	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND FLOODING
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
Feb 23, 1996	Snowstorm	WINTER STORM
Jan 13, 1996	Snowstorm	BLIZZARD OF 96
Mar 17, 1993	Snowstorm	SEVERE SNOWFALL & WINTER STORM
Sep 25, 1989	Hurricane	HURRICANE HUGO
Nov 9, 1977	Flood	SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING
Aug 11, 1977	Drought	DROUGHT

Showing 20 of 21 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

9,081

Total IA Distributed

$9,499,651

Repair/Replace

$1,650,666

Rental Assistance

$511,268

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-4834	3	N/A	—
DR-4508	1	N/A	—
DR-4393	2	N/A	$1,665
DR-4827	8,529	$7,032,280	$1,201
DR-4487	498	$2,413,225	—
DR-1546	33	$41,491	$2,094
DR-1838	1	$6,960	$6,960
DR-1553	13	$3,365	$617
DR-4019	1	$2,330	$2,330

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

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

Total Claims Paid

$1,546,983

Avg Claim Payout

$18,200

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$30,087,599

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

138

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4827	Tropical Storm	56	$28,337,969
DR-4487	Biological	44	$1,180,747
DR-4146	Flood	2	$165,458
DR-4617	Flood	2	$113,259
DR-1546	Hurricane	9	$93,796
DR-4393	Hurricane	2	$88,567
DR-1871	Severe Storm(s)	11	$50,153
DR-1448	Severe Ice Storm	7	$28,975
DR-4588	Tropical Storm	2	$19,515
DR-1553	Hurricane	3	$9,160

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$1,042,855

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

0.50

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	2	$185,383
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	2	$26,148
200.3: Acquisition of Public Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	1	$745,004
100.1: Public Awareness and Education (Brochures, Workshops, Videos, etc.); 600.1: Warning Systems (as a Component of a Planned, Adopted, and Exercised Risk Reduction Plan)	1	$86,320

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

Granite Falls has a relatively low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are landslide, ice storm, earthquake. The area has had 21 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is hurricane (7 declarations). 85 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $30,087,599 in public assistance recovery funding. $9,499,651 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 6 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.