FEMA Records
22
Above median
Texas · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
DeWitt County, TX
22 FEMA disaster declarations (1967-2024), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate. Most common hazard: Hurricane.
- 22
- FEMA declarations
- 14
- Major disasters
- 84
- NRI risk · Relatively Moderate
- Hurricane
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for DeWitt County. Its 22 FEMA declarations are 5% above the Texas county mean and exceed the count for 57% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it in the riskiest 16%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Riskiest 16%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Moderate
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 22
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 227
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
FEMA OpenFEMA declaration desk
County FIPS 48123 · DeWitt County 22 declarations · rank 1370/3,266
DECL-HEAVY · MAJOR-MID · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-MID · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-ABOVE
- DECL-HEAVY 22
- MAJOR-MID 64%
- RANK-LOWER #1,370
- PHOTO-FINISH Hardy
- NRI-MID 84
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Hurricane
- VS-ST-ABOVE +5%
Nearest declaration peer: Hardy, WV (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Texas state profile
DeWitt County in the declaration-count neighbourhood
FEMA declaration records among DeWitt County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- DeWitt · this county 22
DeWitt · this county
22 declarations
- Hardy · near 22
Hardy · near
22 declarations
- Prairie · near 22
Prairie · near
22 declarations
- St. Francis · near 22
St. Francis · near
22 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows DeWitt County carries 22 FEMA declaration records, ranked 1370 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
How DeWitt County's FEMA declaration count compares nationally
DeWitt County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · DeWitt County
22 Top 43% higher than 57% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-25
DeWitt County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for DeWitt County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $21.8M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Very High), while Hurricane carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Moderate). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does DeWitt County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
The NFIP claims register shows a middle-volume loss record here: 227 paid claims, totaling $5.9M. PlainHazard uses 50-499 claims for this descriptive band; FEMA does not publish it as a safety or coverage category. The $26.1K average describes payments on recorded claims only, leaving uninsured damage and properties without a claim outside the measure.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. DeWitt County's 22 federal records stand 5% above the Texas county mean of 20.9. That comparison describes how often federal action was recorded, including any Major Disaster, Emergency, and Fire Management entries shown on this page; it does not convert the count into future probability.
FEMA National Risk Index
This county sits among the highest-risk counties nationally on FEMA's National Risk Index, a composite score of 83.9/100 (Relatively Moderate). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Low (roughly $31.4M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Very High and community resilience Relatively Low, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Among the 18 modeled hazards, Hurricane carries the county's highest rating, a mid-range Relatively Moderate. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at roughly once every 9 years here, based on 40 historical events on record.
63 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
DeWitt County, TX · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) High
16/30
22 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.1x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
13/25
22 declarations (1.1x state county average of 21)
Major Disaster Share High
16/25
14 of 22 declarations are major disasters (64%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
18/20
7 different disaster types declared in DeWitt County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - DeWitt County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
64%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
84
Relatively Moderate
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike DeWitt County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 9 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | an average of 3.6 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 2 years |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 59 modeled event-days per year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 3 years |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | roughly once every 863 years |
| Hail | Relatively Low | an average of 1.7 times per year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 11 modeled event-days per year |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | an average of 54 times per year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | an average of 1.6 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | roughly once every 1 years |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | roughly once every 3 years |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 2,809 years |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 10 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Hurricane 9
Flood 4
Severe Ice Storm 2
Biological 2
Severe Storm 2
Fire 2
Drought 1
What Hurricane declarations mean here
Hurricane is the most frequent declaration type on DeWitt County's federal record, 41% of its declarations. Atlantic tropical systems run on a defined season, 1 June to 30 November, with most activity concentrated between August and October; Pacific and territorial basins run on their own calendars. A single named storm routinely produces one declaration number covering a long corridor of counties at once, well inland as well as on the coast, which is why an affected county's count can jump by several in one year without several separate events having occurred.
One practical distinction matters when reading these records: a tropical declaration usually bundles wind, storm surge and inland rainfall flooding under a single incident, but the insurance behind them is split. Wind damage falls to property insurers, while flood and surge damage is covered only under a separate National Flood Insurance Program policy. That is why a county can show heavy declaration activity and a comparatively small NFIP claims record, or the reverse.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Major Disaster - 14 63.6%
of all 22 declarations
Emergency - 8 36.4%
of all 22 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2017 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 2 | |
| 2006 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 3 | |
| 2003 | 1 | |
| 2002 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 2 | |
| 1998 | 1 | |
| 1995 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 1 | |
| 1992 | 1 | |
Show 1 earlier declaration years
| 1967 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 22 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 22 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4798 | HURRICANE BERYL | DR | Hurricane | 2024-07-09 |
| 4586 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS | DR | Severe Ice Storm | 2021-02-19 |
| 3554 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM | Severe Ice Storm | 2021-02-14 |
| 4485 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-25 |
| 3458 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4332 | HURRICANE HARVEY | DR | Hurricane | 2017-08-25 |
| 4223 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2015-05-29 |
| 3294 | HURRICANE IKE | EM | Hurricane | 2008-09-10 |
| 3290 | HURRICANE GUSTAV | EM | Hurricane | 2008-08-29 |
| 1624 | EXTREME WILDFIRE THREAT | DR | Fire | 2006-01-11 |
| 1606 | HURRICANE RITA | DR | Hurricane | 2005-09-24 |
| 3261 | HURRICANE RITA | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-21 |
| 3216 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-02 |
| 1479 | HURRICANE CLAUDETTE | DR | Hurricane | 2003-07-17 |
| 1425 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2002-07-04 |
| 3142 | EXTREME FIRE HAZARDS | EM | Fire | 1999-09-01 |
| 1257 | TX-FLOODING 10/18/98 | DR | Flood | 1998-10-21 |
| 1239 | TROPICAL STORM CHARLEY | DR | Severe Storm | 1998-08-26 |
| 1041 | SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1994-10-18 |
| 3113 | EXTREME FIRE HAZARD | EM | Drought | 1993-09-10 |
Show 2 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 930 | SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS | DR | Flood | 1991-12-26 |
| 232 | HURRICANE BEULAH | DR | Hurricane | 1967-09-28 |
Storm Events in Texas
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to DeWitt County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 14,072 | 0 | 15 | $7.4B |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 10,293 | 41 | 141 | $369.9M |
| Drought | 7,032 | 0 | 0 | $86.0K |
| Flash Flood | 4,728 | 338 | 24 | $47.6B |
| Heat | 4,079 | 119 | 405 | $0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
227
Total Paid
$5.9M
Avg Per Claim
$26.1K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Moderate
Score: 83.9/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$31.4M/year
Social Vulnerability
Very High
Community Resilience
Relatively Low
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Hurricane Relatively Moderate
Riverine Flooding Relatively Moderate
Cold Wave Relatively Moderate
Drought Relatively Moderate
Tornado Relatively Moderate
Wildfire Relatively Low
Hail Relatively Low
Heat Wave Relatively Low
Lightning Relatively Moderate
Winter Weather Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Low
Earthquake Very Low
Landslide Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Hurricane
Hurricane exposure in the model bundles the three ways a tropical system does harm, which arrive on different timescales and are insured differently: wind, storm surge on the coast, and rainfall flooding that can reach far inland well after landfall.
For DeWitt County the two measures on this page point the same way: Hurricane is the county's highest-rated modeled hazard (Relatively Moderate), and Hurricane declarations also lead its federal record. Where the model and the declaration history agree, the reading is comparatively straightforward, the hazard is both expected and repeatedly realised.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
DeWitt County's closest FEMA peer: McCurtain County, OK
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for DeWitt County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
DeWitt County shows 22 FEMA declarations, led by Hurricane.
Similar Major-disaster share
DeWitt County: 14 of 22 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
DeWitt County: NRI composite 83.9 (Relatively Moderate).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for DeWitt County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for DeWitt County: nearest out-of-state National Risk Index composite and nearest FEMA declaration count (floor ≥5 records). Record similarity only, not a forecast of the next hazard.
Similar NRI composite
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA NRI score. This county: 83.9 (Relatively Moderate).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 22. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
DeWitt County's NFIP claims file (227 claims) and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records - this guide separates them from modeled NRI risk.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in DeWitt County?
The most common disaster type in DeWitt County is Hurricane, with 9 declarations. Other disaster types include Flood (4), Severe Ice Storm (2), Biological (2).
How does DeWitt County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Texas average?
FEMA lists 22 declaration records for DeWitt County. That is 5% above the Texas county mean of 20.9. Its count is also 6% above the national county mean of 20.7. A larger declaration history records more federal actions; it is not a forecast of the county's next hazard.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has DeWitt County received?
DeWitt County has received 14 major disaster declarations, representing 64% of all 22 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has DeWitt County filed?
DeWitt County has 227 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $5.9M in payments, with an average of $26.1K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in DeWitt County?
No. In DeWitt County, Hurricane has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Moderate), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $21.8M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in DeWitt County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in DeWitt County was 2005, with 3 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1967 to 2024.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for DeWitt County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, DeWitt County, Texas has an overall risk score of 83.9 out of 100 (Relatively Moderate). On social vulnerability the county rates Very High; on community resilience, Relatively Low. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $31.4M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to DeWitt County?
Based on FEMA NRI data, the highest-risk natural hazard in DeWitt County is Hurricane (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Riverine Flooding (Relatively Moderate) and Cold Wave (Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts hurricane here at roughly once every 9 years, drawn from 40 historical events on record. FEMA derives these ratings from historical event frequency, the assets exposed, and the community's vulnerability profile.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
FEMA OpenFEMA declarations + NRI for DeWitt County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Texas profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events