Natural Disasters in Florence, SC

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

89.6

Relatively Moderate

Expected Annual Loss

87.1

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

70.8

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

75.6

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Hurricane96.0Tornado94.6Earthquake92.8
HazardRisk Score
Hurricane96.0
Tornado94.6
Earthquake92.8
Heat Wave92.0
Hail91.0
Ice Storm87.7
Wildfire86.5
Lightning85.6
Winter Weather78.1
Strong Wind73.9
Cold Wave68.4
Drought49.1
Landslide39.2

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

27

Most Recent

Winter Storm

Jan 2026

Most Common Type

Hurricane

15 declarations

DateTypeDeclaration
Jan 23, 2026Winter StormSEVERE WINTER STORM
Sep 29, 2024Tropical StormTROPICAL STORM DEBBY
Aug 5, 2024Tropical StormHURRICANE DEBBY
Aug 31, 2023HurricaneHURRICANE IDALIA
Nov 21, 2022HurricaneHURRICANE IAN
Sep 29, 2022HurricaneHURRICANE IAN
Mar 27, 2020BiologicalCOVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCOVID-19
Sep 1, 2019HurricaneHURRICANE DORIAN
Sep 16, 2018HurricaneHURRICANE FLORENCE
Sep 10, 2018HurricaneHURRICANE FLORENCE
Oct 16, 2017HurricaneHURRICANE IRMA
Sep 7, 2017HurricaneHURRICANE IRMA
Oct 11, 2016HurricaneHURRICANE MATTHEW
Oct 6, 2016HurricaneHURRICANE MATTHEW
Oct 5, 2015FloodSEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Oct 3, 2015Severe StormSEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Mar 12, 2014Severe Ice StormSEVERE WINTER STORM
Feb 12, 2014Severe Ice StormSEVERE WINTER STORM
Sep 10, 2005HurricaneHURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION

Showing 20 of 27 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

9,696

Total IA Distributed

$11,861,957

Repair/Replace

$3,588,899

Rental Assistance

$1,164,833

DisasterRegistrationsTotal IA $Avg Damage
DR-42851N/A—
DR-482920N/A—
DR-19421N/A—
DR-45281N/A—
DR-44921,012$6,261,026—
DR-42863,978$2,661,376$1,541
DR-42413,862$2,579,039$731
DR-4394547$213,697$782
DR-1566273$139,693$852
DR-45141$7,127—

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

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

399

Total Claims Paid

$7,016,985

Avg Claim Payout

$17,586

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$6,390,378

Disasters with PA

11

Total Projects

129

DisasterTypeProjectsFederal $
DR-4286Hurricane41$3,343,965
DR-4166Severe Ice Storm14$897,300
DR-4241Flood26$586,066
DR-4394Hurricane11$506,058
DR-1509Severe Ice Storm11$475,232
DR-4835Tropical Storm6$403,404
DR-1299Hurricane10$88,047
DR-4677Hurricane3$59,184
DR-1313Severe Storm(s)5$17,043
DR-3233Hurricane1$7,957
DR-4492Biological1$6,122

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

8

Federal Funding

$2,991,933

Properties Protected

15

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

7.21

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project TypeProjectsFederal $
601.2: Generators - Regular4$2,847,933
205.8: Retrofitting Public Structures - Wind2$12,000
91.5: Local Multijurisdictional Multihazard Mitigation Plan - UPDATE1$112,500
91.3: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan - UPDATE1$19,500

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

Florence has a relatively moderate overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are hurricane, tornado, earthquake. The area has had 27 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is hurricane (15 declarations). 399 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $6,390,378 in public assistance recovery funding. $11,861,957 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 8 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.