Natural Disasters in Pinetops, NC

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

76.4

Relatively Low

Expected Annual Loss

66.6

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

87.6

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

42.3

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Strong Wind96.3Winter Weather96.0Hurricane88.6

Hazard	Risk Score
Strong Wind	96.3
Winter Weather	96.0
Hurricane	88.6
Drought	88.4
Tornado	79.9
Heat Wave	74.4
Hail	63.6
Earthquake	57.3
Lightning	53.4
Cold Wave	48.5
Ice Storm	42.4
Wildfire	39.7
Landslide	19.3

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

15 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jan 24, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Aug 6, 2024	Tropical Storm	TROPICAL STORM DEBBY
Oct 1, 2022	Hurricane	HURRICANE IAN
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
Oct 10, 2016	Hurricane	HURRICANE MATTHEW
Oct 7, 2016	Hurricane	HURRICANE MATTHEW
Aug 31, 2011	Hurricane	HURRICANE IRENE
Aug 25, 2011	Hurricane	HURRICANE IRENE
Sep 1, 2010	Hurricane	HURRICANE EARL
Sep 14, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE OPHELIA
Sep 5, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Sep 18, 2003	Hurricane	HURRICANE ISABEL
Dec 12, 2002	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE ICE STORM
Jan 31, 2000	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Sep 16, 1999	Hurricane	HURRICANE FLOYD MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATIONS

Showing 20 of 26 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

1,580

Total IA Distributed

$2,648,763

Repair/Replace

$1,053,773

Rental Assistance

$617,329

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-1969	1	N/A	$466
DR-4827	10	N/A	—
DR-4285	892	$1,881,946	$2,024
DR-4019	473	$419,068	$1,096
DR-1490	165	$182,695	$1,391
DR-4487	30	$148,445	—
DR-1942	1	$13,368	$7,617
DR-4393	8	$3,241	$781

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

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

795

Total Claims Paid

$28,212,269

Avg Claim Payout

$35,487

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$36,757,572

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

311

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-1292	Hurricane	160	$23,455,972
DR-4285	Hurricane	89	$10,396,008
DR-4019	Hurricane	32	$2,276,859
DR-1490	Hurricane	19	$446,991
DR-1448	Severe Ice Storm	5	$90,285
DR-4487	Biological	2	$67,973
DR-4568	Hurricane	2	$13,037
DR-1312	Severe Storm(s)	2	$10,446

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$2,899,440

Properties Protected

108

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

10.87

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	8	$2,641,452
207.2: Mitigation Reconstruction	1	$0
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	1	$11,250
Unknown	1	$15,000
602.1: Other Equipment Purchase and Installation	1	$0

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

Pinetops has a relatively low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are strong wind, winter weather, hurricane. The area has had 26 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is hurricane (15 declarations). 795 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $36,757,572 in public assistance recovery funding. $2,648,763 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 14 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.