Natural hazards · Americus

Americus, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Americus comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1985. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Americus?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Americus to be higher than in 19% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding52%Tornadoes19%Hurricanes13%Heat waves6%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Americus faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Americus flood?

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

6paid claims since 1985

$88Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19852026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Alberto: 1 claim, $4K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Sumter County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Americus

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AmericusDeclared for Sumter County only

2018

Hurricane Michael

488 households applied for aid $86K aid approved $277K to the City of Americus for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$15K to the City of Americus for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

1,197 households applied for aid $540K aid approved $1.8M to the City of Americus for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

$78K to the City of Americus for repairs

Sumter County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

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. Americus covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Americus’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Americus. 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 Americus total about $648K 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.