Natural hazards · Savannah

Savannah, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Savannah comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Savannah?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Savannah to be higher than in 48% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and cold waves.

Earthquakes33%Cold waves24%Inland flooding17%Tornadoes11%Strong wind9%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Savannah faces

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

Earthquakes

33% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Cold waves

24% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

17% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Savannah flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Savannah.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hardin County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Savannah

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SavannahDeclared for Hardin County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

290 households applied for aid $575K aid approved $965K to the City of Savannah for repairs

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

25 households applied for aid $39K aid approved

2019

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$33K to the City of Savannah for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated Flooding

12 households applied for aid $15K aid approved $61K to the City of Savannah for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

113 households applied for aid $191K aid approved $15K to the City of Savannah for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

126 households applied for aid $91K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

36 households applied for aid $133K aid approved $53K to the City of Savannah for repairs

1999

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$26K to the City of Savannah for repairs

Hardin County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Savannah covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Savannah’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Savannah. 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 Savannah total about $2.5M 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.