Natural hazards · Chickasaw

Chickasaw, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chickasaw comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 181 claims here since 1978. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Chickasaw?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chickasaw to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes52%Inland flooding29%Coastal flooding5%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Chickasaw faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Hurricanes

52% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

5% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Chickasaw flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Chickasaw, from FEMA’s records.

181paid claims since 1978

$5.8Mpaid to owners

35homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Katrina: 71 claims, $4.6M
Hurricane Georges: 33 claims, $641K
Hurricane Frederic: 25 claims, $173K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Chickasaw isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Mobile County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Chickasaw

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Chickasaw itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Chickasaw.

Brought FEMA money into ChickasawDeclared for Mobile County only

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

8 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2020

Hurricane Zeta

194 households applied for aid $207K aid approved $68K to the City of Chickasaw for repairs

2020

Hurricane Sally

681 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $268K to the City of Chickasaw for repairs

2017

Hurricane Nate

$93K to the City of Chickasaw for repairs

2014

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

168 households applied for aid $128K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Isaac

$42K to the City of Chickasaw for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

$48K to the City of Chickasaw for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

785 households applied for aid $989K aid approved $750K to the City of Chickasaw for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

66 households applied for aid $26K aid approved $40K to the City of Chickasaw for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

514 households applied for aid $444K aid approved $380K to the City of Chickasaw for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

143 households applied for aid $260K aid approved

2002

Tropical Storm Isidore

$349K to the City of Chickasaw for repairs

Mobile County has had 32 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Chickasaw

Chickasaw and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Saralandmostly inland floodingVery high

Chickasawmostly hurricanesVery high

Mobilemostly hurricanesVery high

Prichardmostly hurricanesVery high

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Chickasaw covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chickasaw’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Chickasaw. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Chickasaw total about $2.8M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.