Natural hazards · Lake

Lake, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lake comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1986. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lake?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lake to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes33%Inland flooding25%Earthquakes24%Tornadoes9%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Lake faces

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

Hurricanes

33% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

24% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% 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 Lake flood?

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

7paid claims since 1986

$29Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19862026

Biggest named events

October severe storms: 2 claims, $10K
Hurricane Matthew: 2 claims, $12K

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. Lake 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3buildings retrofitted against wind

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Lake

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LakeDeclared for Florence County only

2024

Tropical Storm Debby

$10K to the City of Lake for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

21 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2016

Hurricane Matthew

858 households applied for aid $594K aid approved $312K to the City of Lake for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,608 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved $21K to the City of Lake for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$188K to the City of Lake for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

326 households applied for aid $123K aid approved

2004

Severe Ice Storm

$105K to the City of Lake for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$34K to the City of Lake for repairs

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. Lake covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lake’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lake. 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 Lake total about $896K 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.