Natural hazards · Calabash

Calabash, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Calabash comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1989. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Calabash?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Calabash to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes73%Inland flooding19%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Calabash faces

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

Hurricanes

73% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

19% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce 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 Calabash flood?

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

5paid claims since 1989

$108Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

October severe storms: 2 claims, $34K
Hurricane Floyd: 1 claim, $46K
Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $24K

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

Insurance rates: Brunswick County.

Disasters that hit Calabash

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CalabashDeclared for Brunswick County only

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$9K to the Town of Calabash for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

241 households applied for aid $94K aid approved $74K to the Town of Calabash for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

29 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $81K to the Town of Calabash for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

4 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $3K to the Town of Calabash for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds

4 households applied for aid

2008

Tropical Storm Hanna

$22K to the Town of Calabash for repairs

2005

Hurricane Ophelia

$5K to the Town of Calabash for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

2 households applied for aid

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$30K to the Town of Calabash for repairs

Brunswick County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter 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. Calabash 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 Calabash’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Calabash. 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.