Natural hazards · Charleston

Charleston, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Charleston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1980. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Charleston?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Charleston to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding29%Earthquakes22%Tornadoes19%Strong wind10%Cold waves8%Heat waves7%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Charleston faces

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

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Earthquakes

22% of expected damage

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

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about 22 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Charleston flood?

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

5paid claims since 1980

$21Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19802026

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. Charleston isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Tallahatchie County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

38storm safe rooms built

10flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Charleston

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CharlestonDeclared for Tallahatchie County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

996 households applied for aid $2.8M aid approved $666K to the City of Charleston for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

$26K to the City of Charleston for repairs

2019

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

$12K to the City of Charleston for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

60 households applied for aid $29K aid approved $3K to the City of Charleston for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$5K to the City of Charleston for repairs

2001

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$3K to the City of Charleston for repairs

Tallahatchie County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

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. Charleston covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Charleston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Charleston. 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 Charleston total about $1.4M 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.