Natural hazards · Richton

Richton, MS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2009. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Richton?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Richton to be higher than in 61% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding32%Hurricanes31%Tornadoes17%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Richton faces

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

Inland flooding

32% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

31% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Richton flood?

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

3paid claims since 2009

$266Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20092026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Perry County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

16storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Richton

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RichtonDeclared for Perry County only

2020

Hurricane Zeta

9 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2017

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

7 households applied for aid

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

20 households applied for aid $42K aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

19 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

2,509 households applied for aid $2.9M aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

113 households applied for aid $123K aid approved

Perry County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe 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. Richton is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Richton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Richton. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.