Natural hazards · Olanta

Olanta, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Olanta comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim 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 Olanta?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Olanta to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes31%Inland flooding28%Tornadoes14%Earthquakes11%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Olanta faces

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

Hurricanes

31% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 29 years in the area

Earthquakes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% 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 Olanta flood?

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

1paid claims since 2016

$76Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20162026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $76K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Olanta 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 Olanta

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OlantaDeclared for Florence County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

15 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2016

Hurricane Matthew

108 households applied for aid $122K aid approved

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

216 households applied for aid $132K aid approved

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$3K to the Town of Olanta for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

130 households applied for aid $56K aid approved

2004

Severe Ice Storm

$3K to the Town of Olanta 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. Olanta 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 Olanta’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Olanta. 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.