FEMA Records
30
High volume
South Carolina · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Williamsburg County, SC
30 FEMA disaster declarations (1989-2026), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate. Most common hazard: Hurricane.
- 30
- FEMA declarations
- 16
- Major disasters
- 82
- NRI risk · Relatively Moderate
- Hurricane
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Williamsburg County. Its 30 FEMA declarations are 17% above the South Carolina county mean and exceed the count for 86% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it in the riskiest 18%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Riskiest 18%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Moderate
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 30
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 118
- 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.
How does Williamsburg County compare?
Williamsburg County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
30 Top 14% higher than 86% 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 · 2026-08-03
Williamsburg County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the South Carolina county average
What does Williamsburg County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
The NFIP claims register shows a middle-volume loss record here: 118 paid claims, totaling $3.4M. PlainHazard uses 50-499 claims for this descriptive band; FEMA does not publish it as a safety or coverage category. The $28.4K 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. Williamsburg County's 30 federal records stand 17% above the South Carolina county mean of 25.6. 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 82.1/100 (Relatively Moderate). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Low (roughly $30.2M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Very High and community resilience Relatively Low, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Hurricane stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Relatively High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at roughly once every 3 years here, based on 98 historical events on record.
Declaration frequency
The FEMA register is busy by both local and national comparisons. It contains 30 entries for Williamsburg County, including 16 Major Disaster records, 17% above the South Carolina county mean. Across the 37-year span, that works out to 0.8 declarations a year. Hurricane leads the file with 17 entries. Declaration type records the federal action taken, not every assistance program approved.
68 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Williamsburg County, SC · 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
22/30
30 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.4x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
15/25
30 declarations (1.2x state county average of 26)
Major Disaster Share High
13/25
16 of 30 declarations are major disasters (53%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
18/20
7 different disaster types declared in Williamsburg County
Historical Declaration Activity
Activity Band
High
vs. South Carolina Avg
+17%
State avg: 25.6
vs. National Avg
+45%
National avg: 20.7
Avg Per Year
0.8
Over 37 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Williamsburg 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
53%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
82
Relatively Moderate
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Williamsburg 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 High | roughly once every 3 years |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 255 years |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | roughly once every 388 years |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | an average of 3.4 times per year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 9.2 modeled event-days per year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 1 years |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | an average of 62 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 2 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | roughly once every 3 years |
| Hail | Relatively Low | an average of 3.3 times per year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 11 modeled event-days per year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | roughly once every 2 years |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | an average of 1.3 times per year |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | roughly once every 6 years |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 5 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Hurricane 17
Severe Storm 3
Severe Ice Storm 3
Tropical Storm 2
Biological 2
Flood 2
Winter Storm 1
What Hurricane declarations mean here
Hurricane is the most frequent declaration type on Williamsburg County's federal record, 57% 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 - 16 53.3%
of all 30 declarations
Emergency - 14 46.7%
of all 30 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 3 | |
| 2023 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2019 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 3 | |
| 2017 | 3 | |
| 2016 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 2 | |
| 2005 | 2 | |
| 2004 | 2 | |
| 2000 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 2 | |
| 1996 | 1 | |
Show 1 earlier declaration years
| 1989 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 30 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 30 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3632 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM | Winter Storm | 2026-01-23 |
| 4829 | HURRICANE HELENE | DR | Hurricane | 2024-09-29 |
| 3619 | HURRICANE HELENE | EM | Tropical Storm | 2024-09-26 |
| 3606 | HURRICANE DEBBY | EM | Tropical Storm | 2024-08-05 |
| 3597 | HURRICANE IDALIA | EM | Hurricane | 2023-08-31 |
| 4677 | HURRICANE IAN | DR | Hurricane | 2022-11-21 |
| 3585 | HURRICANE IAN | EM | Hurricane | 2022-09-29 |
| 4492 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-27 |
| 3470 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4464 | HURRICANE DORIAN | DR | Hurricane | 2019-09-30 |
| 3421 | HURRICANE DORIAN | EM | Hurricane | 2019-09-01 |
| 4394 | HURRICANE FLORENCE | DR | Hurricane | 2018-09-16 |
| 3400 | HURRICANE FLORENCE | EM | Hurricane | 2018-09-10 |
| 4346 | HURRICANE IRMA | DR | Hurricane | 2017-10-16 |
| 3386 | HURRICANE IRMA | EM | Hurricane | 2017-09-07 |
| 4286 | HURRICANE MATTHEW | DR | Hurricane | 2016-10-11 |
| 3378 | HURRICANE MATTHEW | EM | Hurricane | 2016-10-06 |
| 4241 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2015-10-05 |
| 3373 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | EM | Severe Storm | 2015-10-03 |
| 4166 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | DR | Severe Ice Storm | 2014-03-12 |
Show 10 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3369 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM | Severe Ice Storm | 2014-02-12 |
| 3233 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-10 |
| 1566 | TROPICAL STORM FRANCES | DR | Hurricane | 2004-10-07 |
| 1547 | TROPICAL STORM GASTON | DR | Severe Storm | 2004-09-15 |
| 1509 | SEVERE ICE STORM | DR | Severe Ice Storm | 2004-02-13 |
| 1313 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | DR | Severe Storm | 2000-01-31 |
| 1299 | HURRICANE FLOYD MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATIONS | DR | Hurricane | 1999-09-21 |
| 3145 | HURRICANE FLOYD EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS | EM | Hurricane | 1999-09-15 |
| 1140 | SEVERE WINDS AND FLOODING ASSOC WITH HURRICANE FRAN | DR | Flood | 1996-09-30 |
| 843 | HURRICANE HUGO | DR | Hurricane | 1989-09-22 |
Storm Events in South Carolina
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Williamsburg County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 5,845 | 11 | 40 | $11.4M |
| Hail | 1,207 | 0 | 0 | $25.1M |
| Flash Flood | 954 | 20 | 35 | $150.4M |
| Strong Wind | 395 | 4 | 13 | $711.8K |
| Tornado | 320 | 9 | 110 | $127.1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
118
Total Paid
$3.4M
Avg Per Claim
$28.4K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Moderate
Score: 82.1/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$30.2M/year
Social Vulnerability
Very High
Community Resilience
Relatively Low
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Hurricane Relatively High
Earthquake Relatively Moderate
Wildfire Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Heat Wave Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Moderate
Lightning Relatively Moderate
Cold Wave Relatively Moderate
Riverine Flooding Relatively Low
Hail Relatively Low
Drought Relatively Low
Tornado Relatively Low
Winter Weather Relatively Low
Coastal Flooding 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 Williamsburg County the two measures on this page point the same way: Hurricane is the county's highest-rated modeled hazard (Relatively High), 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
Williamsburg County's closest FEMA peer: Maui County, HI
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Williamsburg County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Williamsburg County shows 30 FEMA declarations, led by Hurricane.
Similar Major-disaster share
Williamsburg County: 16 of 30 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Williamsburg County: NRI composite 82.1 (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 Williamsburg County - capture-dated entries only.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Williamsburg County's NFIP claims file (118 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).
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Williamsburg County?
The most common disaster type in Williamsburg County is Hurricane, with 17 declarations. Other disaster types include Severe Storm (3), Severe Ice Storm (3), Tropical Storm (2).
How does Williamsburg County's FEMA declaration record compare with the South Carolina average?
FEMA lists 30 declaration records for Williamsburg County. That is 17% above the South Carolina county mean of 25.6. Its count is also 45% 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 Williamsburg County received?
Williamsburg County has received 16 major disaster declarations, representing 53% of all 30 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Williamsburg County filed?
Williamsburg County has 118 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $3.4M in payments, with an average of $28.4K per claim.
What was the worst year for disasters in Williamsburg County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Williamsburg County was 2017, with 3 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1989 to 2026.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Williamsburg County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Williamsburg County, South Carolina has an overall risk score of 82.1 out of 100 (Relatively Moderate). Social vulnerability here rates Very High, while community resilience comes in at Relatively Low. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $30.2M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Williamsburg County?
The top hazard flagged by FEMA's NRI for Williamsburg County as of the latest release is Hurricane (risk rating: Relatively High). Other significant hazards include Earthquake (Relatively Moderate) and Wildfire (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts hurricane here at roughly once every 3 years, drawn from 98 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.
What this means for Williamsburg County
Williamsburg County, SC has 30 federal declaration records, 17% more than the South Carolina county mean of 26; its history sits in PlainHazard's high activity band.
- Within this above-state-average declaration file, major disaster leads with 16 of 30 records; the category describes past federal action, not the next likely hazard. South Carolina overview
- The state benchmark and national rank point the same way: this count tops the South Carolina mean and the totals for 86% of 3,266 U.S. counties. Most-disaster rankings
- Use the data guide to separate this mid-volume insurance-claims file from declaration counts and modeled NRI risk. Disaster-data guide
An above-average declaration count records past federal responses; it does not predict the next event. Current warnings come from the National Weather Service and local emergency officials.
PlainHazard derives this profile from FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries and National Risk Index data. The declaration comparison covers 3,266 U.S. counties and county equivalents in this database, refreshed as of 2026-08-03. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 - all federally-declared disasters for this county. fema.gov/openfema/disaster-declarations
- FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) - per-county per-hazard risk ratings and expected annual loss. hazards.fema.gov/nri
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database - state-level storm/severe-weather event records, 2015-2025. ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainHazard Editorial
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, the data & editorial changelog, or report a data error.