Natural hazards · Long Beach

Long Beach, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Long Beach comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,545 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 Long Beach?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Long Beach to be higher than in 87% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes59%Inland flooding22%Tornadoes7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Long Beach faces

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

Hurricanes

59% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

22% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Long Beach flood?

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

1,545paid claims since 1978

$153Mpaid to owners

109homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Katrina: 883 claims, $143M
Tropical Storm Allison: 114 claims, $1.6M
Hurricane Georges: 82 claims, $1.2M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (62) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Long Beach is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Harrison County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

95buildings retrofitted against wind

43flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

2storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Long Beach

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Long BeachDeclared for Harrison County only

2026

Tropical Storm Arthur

231 households applied for aid $477K aid approved

2021

Hurricane Ida

96 households applied for aid $280K aid approved $30K to the City of Long Beach for repairs

2020

Hurricane Zeta

803 households applied for aid $632K aid approved $5.8M to the City of Long Beach for repairs

2020

Hurricane Sally

$16K to the City of Long Beach for repairs

2017

Hurricane Nate

$371K to the City of Long Beach for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

369 households applied for aid $177K aid approved $130K to the City of Long Beach for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

61 households applied for aid $26K aid approved $153K to the City of Long Beach for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

10,244 households applied for aid $47.2M aid approved $64.8M to the City of Long Beach for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$37K to the City of Long Beach for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

39 households applied for aid $37K aid approved $126K to the City of Long Beach for repairs

2002

Tropical Storm Isidore

$290K to the City of Long Beach for repairs

2001

Tropical Storm Allison

$14K to the City of Long Beach for repairs

Harrison County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Long Beach

Long Beach and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pass Christianmostly hurricanesVery high

Gulfportmostly hurricanesVery high

Long Beachmostly 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. Long Beach covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Long Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Long Beach. 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 Long Beach total about $9.4M 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.