Natural hazards · Coward

Coward, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Coward comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 21 claims here since 2015. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Coward?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Coward to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding41%Hurricanes26%Tornadoes12%Earthquakes6%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Coward faces

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

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 33 years in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Coward flood?

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

21paid claims since 2015

$338Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20152026

Biggest named events

October severe storms: 13 claims, $196K
Hurricane Matthew: 6 claims, $101K
Hurricane Debby: 2 claims, $41K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Florence County.

Disasters that hit Coward

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CowardDeclared for Florence County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

12 households applied for aid $500 aid approved

2016

Hurricane Matthew

147 households applied for aid $185K aid approved

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

311 households applied for aid $509K aid approved

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$13K to the Town of Coward for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

10 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

Florence 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. Coward covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Coward’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Coward. 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 Coward total about $1.8M 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.