Natural Disasters in Sanford, NC

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

67.5

Relatively Low

Expected Annual Loss

60.8

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

73.3

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

31.7

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Hurricane84.8Tornado81.5Ice Storm81.3

Hazard	Risk Score
Hurricane	84.8
Tornado	81.5
Ice Storm	81.3
Lightning	78.5
Heat Wave	72.2
Earthquake	70.2
Hail	60.4
Wildfire	54.3
Drought	53.1
Winter Weather	51.3
Strong Wind	39.7
Cold Wave	39.6
Landslide	26.6

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

11 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jan 24, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Sep 28, 2024	Tropical Storm	TROPICAL STORM HELENE
Sep 26, 2024	Tropical Storm	HURRICANE HELENE
Aug 6, 2024	Tropical Storm	TROPICAL STORM DEBBY
Oct 1, 2022	Hurricane	HURRICANE IAN
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 14, 2018	Hurricane	HURRICANE FLORENCE
Sep 10, 2018	Hurricane	HURRICANE FLORENCE
Oct 10, 2016	Hurricane	HURRICANE MATTHEW
Oct 7, 2016	Hurricane	HURRICANE MATTHEW
Apr 19, 2011	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Sep 5, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
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
Sep 15, 1999	Hurricane	HURRICANE FLOYD EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS
Sep 6, 1996	Hurricane	HURRICANE FRAN

Showing 20 of 23 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

1,447

Total IA Distributed

$1,901,550

Repair/Replace

$693,559

Rental Assistance

$327,540

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-1969	539	$762,802	$3,832
DR-4487	86	$464,613	—
DR-4393	473	$322,839	$4,353
DR-4285	308	$210,045	$820
DR-4827	36	$138,856	$1,632
DR-1490	5	$2,395	$382

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

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

Total Claims Paid

$1,057,139

Avg Claim Payout

$16,780

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$10,003,839

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4393	Hurricane	18	$5,448,152
DR-1969	Severe Storm(s)	15	$1,716,222
DR-4285	Hurricane	13	$1,497,785
DR-1448	Severe Ice Storm	15	$781,372
DR-1312	Severe Storm(s)	10	$272,341
DR-4487	Biological	13	$195,023
DR-1292	Hurricane	3	$92,945

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$893,721

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

13.94

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	2	$848,228
602.1: Other Equipment Purchase and Installation	2	$5,743
400.1: Utility Protective Measures (Electric, Gas, etc.)	1	$3,750
401.1: Water and Sanitary Sewer System Protective Measures	1	$36,000
601.1: Generators	1	$0

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

Sanford has a relatively low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are hurricane, tornado, ice storm. The area has had 23 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is hurricane (11 declarations). 63 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $10,003,839 in public assistance recovery funding. $1,901,550 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 7 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.