Natural hazards · Bennettsville

Bennettsville, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bennettsville comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 2016. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bennettsville?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bennettsville to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding35%Hurricanes25%Tornadoes13%Earthquakes6%Cold waves5%Ice storms5%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Bennettsville faces

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

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Hurricanes

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Ice storms

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Bennettsville flood?

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

13paid claims since 2016

$331Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20162026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 6 claims, $171K
Hurricane Debby: 4 claims, $107K
Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $10K

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

Insurance rates: Marlboro County.

Disasters that hit Bennettsville

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BennettsvilleDeclared for Marlboro County only

2023

Hurricane Idalia

$14K to the City of Bennettsville for repairs

2020

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

71 households applied for aid $102K aid approved

2018

Hurricane Florence

1,088 households applied for aid $879K aid approved $529K to the City of Bennettsville for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

316 households applied for aid $147K aid approved $433K to the City of Bennettsville for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

23 households applied for aid $34K aid approved

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$17K to the City of Bennettsville for repairs

Marlboro County has had 18 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. Bennettsville 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 Bennettsville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Bennettsville. 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.