Natural hazards · Savannah

Savannah, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Savannah comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,854 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Savannah?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Savannah to be higher than in 93% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes69%Inland flooding15%Earthquakes6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Savannah faces

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

Hurricanes

69% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

15% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

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

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Savannah flood?

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

1,854paid claims since 1979

$33.4Mpaid to owners

240homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 92 claims, $3.5M
Hurricane Irma: 45 claims, $2.2M
Hurricane Debby: 29 claims, $312K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 4 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (39) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Savannah is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Chatham County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

487flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

24homes raised above flood level

6buildings retrofitted against wind

4flood-prone homes bought out and moved

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Savannah

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SavannahDeclared for Chatham County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

28,955 households applied for aid $13.5M aid approved $3.5M to the City of Savannah for repairs

2024

Tropical Storm Debby

3,362 households applied for aid $3.0M aid approved $90K to the City of Savannah for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

20,283 households applied for aid $4.0M aid approved $2.0M to the City of Savannah for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

11,122 households applied for aid $3.2M aid approved $15.5M to the City of Savannah for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations

$11K to the City of Savannah for repairs

Chatham County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Savannah

Savannah and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Port Wentworthmostly hurricanesVery high

Georgetownmostly hurricanesVery high

Poolermostly hurricanesVery high

Thunderboltmostly hurricanesVery high

Bloomingdalemostly hurricanesVery high

Savannahmostly hurricanesVery high

Garden Citymostly hurricanesVery high

Montgomerymostly hurricanesVery high

Hendersonmostly hurricanesVery high

Vernonburgmostly 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. Savannah covers 48 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Savannah’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Savannah. 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 Savannah total about $127M 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.