Natural hazards · Vidalia

Vidalia, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Vidalia comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1991. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Vidalia?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Vidalia to be higher than in 20% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding33%Hurricanes21%Tornadoes20%Earthquakes8%Heat waves6%Lightning6%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Vidalia faces

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

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Hurricanes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lightning

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Vidalia flood?

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

4paid claims since 1991

$164Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19912026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Toombs County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Vidalia

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into VidaliaDeclared for Toombs County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

5,322 households applied for aid $7.2M aid approved $4.1M to the City of Vidalia for repairs

2018

Hurricane Michael

$75K to the City of Vidalia for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$395K to the City of Vidalia for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

$3K to the City of Vidalia for repairs

Toombs County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter 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. Vidalia covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Vidalia’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Vidalia. 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 Vidalia total about $2.5M 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.