Natural hazards · Pass Christian

Pass Christian, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pass Christian comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2,723 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 Pass Christian?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pass Christian to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes58%Inland flooding19%Coastal flooding8%Tornadoes5%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Pass Christian faces

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

Hurricanes

58% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

19% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

8% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HailIce 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 Pass Christian flood?

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

2,723paid claims since 1978

$326Mpaid to owners

152homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Katrina: 1,971 claims, $318M
Hurricane Zeta: 159 claims, $1.2M
Tropical Storm Isidore: 128 claims, $1.5M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 3 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (43) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Pass Christian 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

71buildings retrofitted against wind

7homes raised above flood level

7storm safe rooms built

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Pass Christian

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Pass ChristianDeclared for Harrison County only

2026

Tropical Storm Arthur

232 households applied for aid $678K aid approved

2021

Hurricane Ida

107 households applied for aid $354K aid approved $1.4M to the City of Pass Christian for repairs

2020

Hurricane Zeta

786 households applied for aid $931K aid approved $3.7M to the City of Pass Christian for repairs

2020

Hurricane Sally

$17K to the City of Pass Christian for repairs

2017

Hurricane Nate

$48K to the City of Pass Christian for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

398 households applied for aid $203K aid approved $789K to the City of Pass Christian for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

159 households applied for aid $102K aid approved $574K to the City of Pass Christian for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

9,422 households applied for aid $64.3M aid approved $50.5M to the City of Pass Christian for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$10K to the City of Pass Christian for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

49 households applied for aid $47K aid approved $59K to the City of Pass Christian for repairs

2002

Tropical Storm Isidore

$151K to the City of Pass Christian for repairs

2001

Tropical Storm Allison

$37K to the City of Pass Christian for repairs

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

Around Pass Christian

Pass Christian and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Henderson Pointmostly coastal floodingVery high

Pass Christianmostly 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. Pass Christian covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pass Christian’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Pass Christian. 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 Pass Christian total about $3.1M 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.