Natural Disasters in North Charleston, SC

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

93.7

Relatively Moderate

Expected Annual Loss

95.1

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

16.0

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

57.4

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Earthquake97.9Hurricane97.9Ice Storm83.4

Hazard	Risk Score
Earthquake	97.9
Hurricane	97.9
Ice Storm	83.4
Lightning	82.7
Wildfire	79.0
Tornado	74.8
Heat Wave	69.2
Winter Weather	68.0
Cold Wave	67.9
Coastal Flood	59.2
Hail	45.7
Drought	27.7
Strong Wind	18.7
Landslide	14.0

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

17 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jan 23, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Sep 29, 2024	Tropical Storm	TROPICAL STORM DEBBY
Sep 29, 2024	Hurricane	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
May 1, 2020	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS
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 29 declarations

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

618

Total Claims Paid

$8,722,761

Avg Claim Payout

$14,115

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$66,327,357

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

275

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4286	Hurricane	43	$14,542,405
DR-4241	Flood	61	$12,168,476
DR-4394	Hurricane	23	$8,869,167
DR-4166	Severe Ice Storm	13	$5,992,649
DR-4677	Hurricane	16	$5,938,129
DR-4464	Hurricane	27	$5,322,979
DR-4492	Biological	15	$4,491,222
DR-1547	Severe Storm(s)	29	$3,847,229
DR-4835	Tropical Storm	12	$1,630,027
DR-4829	Hurricane	2	$1,300,317
DR-4346	Other	5	$910,251
DR-1299	Hurricane	15	$602,715
DR-4542	Severe Storm(s)	8	$523,116
DR-3597	Hurricane	6	$188,676

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$32,198,287

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

144.69

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
205.8: Retrofitting Public Structures - Wind	12	$4,414,345
601.1: Generators	11	$565,017
90.4: Mitigation Plan - Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	6	$187,500
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	5	$2,897,228
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	4	$93,230

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

North Charleston has a relatively moderate overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are earthquake, hurricane, ice storm. The area has had 29 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is hurricane (17 declarations). 618 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $66,327,357 in public assistance recovery funding. 92 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.