Natural Disasters in Live Oak, SC

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

98.2

Relatively High

Expected Annual Loss

97.5

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

65.4

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

66.4

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Hurricane99.6Tornado96.7Earthquake95.9

Hazard	Risk Score
Hurricane	99.6
Tornado	96.7
Earthquake	95.9
Lightning	95.9
Winter Weather	95.9
Heat Wave	95.0
Ice Storm	93.1
Wildfire	89.9
Cold Wave	88.2
Coastal Flood	87.6
Strong Wind	87.0
Drought	48.7
Hail	44.5
Landslide	40.5

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

18 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jan 23, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Mar 7, 2025	Fire	COVINGTON DRIVE FIRE
Sep 29, 2024	Tropical Storm	TROPICAL STORM DEBBY
Sep 26, 2024	Tropical Storm	HURRICANE HELENE
Aug 5, 2024	Tropical Storm	HURRICANE DEBBY
Aug 31, 2023	Hurricane	HURRICANE IDALIA
Nov 21, 2022	Hurricane	HURRICANE IAN
Sep 29, 2022	Hurricane	HURRICANE IAN
Mar 27, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Sep 30, 2019	Hurricane	HURRICANE DORIAN
Sep 1, 2019	Hurricane	HURRICANE DORIAN
Sep 16, 2018	Hurricane	HURRICANE FLORENCE
Sep 10, 2018	Hurricane	HURRICANE FLORENCE
Oct 16, 2017	Hurricane	HURRICANE IRMA
Sep 7, 2017	Hurricane	HURRICANE IRMA
Oct 11, 2016	Hurricane	HURRICANE MATTHEW
Oct 6, 2016	Hurricane	HURRICANE MATTHEW
Oct 5, 2015	Flood	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Oct 3, 2015	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING

Showing 20 of 34 declarations

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

12,522

Total Claims Paid

$339,492,525

Avg Claim Payout

$27,112

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$71,443,379

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

513

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4286	Hurricane	103	$28,659,075
DR-4394	Hurricane	85	$20,570,880
DR-1299	Hurricane	87	$5,110,336
DR-4166	Severe Ice Storm	21	$3,270,701
DR-4241	Flood	56	$2,849,786
DR-4677	Hurricane	41	$2,666,058
DR-4492	Biological	10	$2,327,906
DR-4464	Hurricane	33	$2,101,746
DR-4835	Tropical Storm	16	$1,818,697
DR-1543	Hurricane	40	$930,401
DR-1509	Severe Ice Storm	8	$570,026
DR-3597	Hurricane	7	$484,879
DR-4346	Other	6	$82,889

Live Oak has a relatively high overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are hurricane, tornado, earthquake. The area has had 34 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is hurricane (18 declarations). 12,522 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $71,443,379 in public assistance recovery funding.