Natural hazards · Franklin

Franklin, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Franklin comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 411 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 Franklin?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Hurricanes69%Tornadoes9%Inland flooding7%Coastal flooding6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Franklin 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 5 years in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

7% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 3% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Coastal flooding

6% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Franklin flood?

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

411paid claims since 1978

$6.8Mpaid to owners

60homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 105 claims, $2.9M
Hurricane Rita: 61 claims, $1.8M
Hurricane Andrew: 22 claims, $273K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (7) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: St. Mary Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

23homes raised above flood level

4buildings retrofitted against wind

4buildings floodproofed

1storm safe rooms built

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Franklin

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FranklinDeclared for St. Mary Parish only

2024

Hurricane Francine

1,489 households applied for aid $4.8M aid approved $28K to the City of Franklin for repairs

2021

Hurricane Ida

1,840 households applied for aid $1.6M aid approved

2019

Hurricane Barry

$249K to the City of Franklin for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

711 households applied for aid $919K aid approved $71K to the City of Franklin for repairs

2011

Flooding

$267K to the City of Franklin for repairs

2008

Hurricane Ike

984 households applied for aid $2.1M aid approved $244K to the City of Franklin for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

2,460 households applied for aid $2.3M aid approved $395K to the City of Franklin for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

3,421 households applied for aid $4.9M aid approved $252K to the City of Franklin for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

993 households applied for aid $2.0M aid approved $198K to the City of Franklin for repairs

2002

Hurricane Lili

$452K to the City of Franklin for repairs

2002

Tropical Storm Isidore

$16K to the City of Franklin for repairs

2001

Tropical Storm Allison

$9K to the City of Franklin for repairs

St. Mary Parish has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

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. Franklin covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Franklin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Franklin. 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 Franklin total about $3.3M 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.