Natural hazards · Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Myrtle Beach comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 850 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Myrtle Beach?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Myrtle Beach to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes79%Inland flooding8%Earthquakes5%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Myrtle Beach faces

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

Hurricanes

79% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

8% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 5% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Myrtle Beach flood?

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

850paid claims since 1978

$40.2Mpaid to owners

50homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Hugo: 332 claims, $27.2M
Hurricane Floyd: 155 claims, $3.8M
October severe storms: 73 claims, $1.2M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (7) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Myrtle Beach is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Horry County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

62buildings retrofitted against wind

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Myrtle Beach

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Myrtle BeachDeclared for Horry County only

2022

Hurricane Ian

839 households applied for aid $207K aid approved $672K to the City of Myrtle Beach for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$243K to the City of Myrtle Beach for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

1,737 households applied for aid $4.8M aid approved $199K to the City of Myrtle Beach for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$25K to the City of Myrtle Beach for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

1,894 households applied for aid $2.7M aid approved $2.9M to the City of Myrtle Beach for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,344 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved $63K to the City of Myrtle Beach for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$257K to the City of Myrtle Beach for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

48 households applied for aid $61K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Charley

$256K to the City of Myrtle Beach for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$667K to the City of Myrtle Beach for repairs

Horry County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.

Around Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Socasteemostly hurricanesVery high

North Myrtle Beachmostly hurricanesVery high

Myrtle Beachmostly hurricanesVery high

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. Myrtle Beach covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Myrtle Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Myrtle Beach. 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 Myrtle Beach total about $33.6M 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.