FEMA declarations
17
Low volume
State profile · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
American Samoa Natural Disasters
American Samoa has one of the lighter federal disaster records in the country. 17 FEMA disaster declarations are on record, led by hurricane, with $88.7M in combined property and crop damage. A light count doesn't mean zero risk, just fewer events that crossed the federal declaration threshold. NOAA storm event data shows 292 recorded weather events resulting in 16 fatalities, a toll that informs where the state directs disaster-preparedness resources.
- 17
- FEMA declarations
- 292
- NOAA storm events
- 16
- Storm fatalities
- $88.7M
- Property + crop damage
The American Samoa risk picture
0 of American Samoa's 3 counties and county-equivalents, 0%, carry a FEMA "high-risk" National Risk Index rating, with tsunami the single largest driver of expected annual loss statewide. American Samoa has 15 Major Disaster (DR) declarations; FEMA authorizes Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, or both separately for each declaration. NOAA-tracked storms have caused 7 injuries statewide.
- 0%
- of counties and county-equivalents rated high-risk by FEMA National Risk Index
- 17
- FEMA disaster declarations on record
- $88.7M
- in tracked property + crop damage
- 8
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed statewide
FEMA's National Risk Index and NOAA's Storm Events Database measure different things: modeled long-run risk vs. observed severe-weather events. Storm Events is a reported dataset, so its counts track what was observed and logged, not every event that occurred, and reporting is denser where more people live. See the methodology for how they relate.
Major Disaster share
88%
Mostly major
NOAA storm events
292
Observed severe-weather records
How does American Samoa compare?
American Samoa vs. every U.S. state
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
17 3rd percentile higher than 3% of 59 states and territories
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states and territories. 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
Do more storms mean more federal disasters?
American Samoa sits at the 0th percentile of FEMA declaration volume and the 4th percentile of NOAA storm-event volume among 55 states and territories, those two ranks are not interchangeable.
FEMA declaration rank vs NOAA storm-event rank
Read the chart, every state as text
Percentiles are within this release's state/territory sample. Raw counts are the underlying FEMA and NOAA totals.
| State | FEMA decls | FEMA %ile | NOAA storms | NOAA %ile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 396 | 98 | 23,694 | 93 |
| Texas | 389 | 96 | 53,309 | 98 |
| Oklahoma | 258 | 95 | 23,896 | 95 |
| Washington | 215 | 93 | 4,408 | 22 |
| Florida | 188 | 91 | 12,838 | 55 |
| Oregon | 169 | 89 | 3,695 | 20 |
| New Mexico | 126 | 87 | 10,974 | 45 |
| Arizona | 120 | 85 | 9,541 | 38 |
| New York | 118 | 84 | 21,653 | 82 |
| Montana | 112 | 82 | 13,576 | 56 |
| Colorado | 111 | 78 | 18,340 | 73 |
| Louisiana | 111 | 78 | 11,204 | 47 |
| Nevada | 110 | 76 | 4,534 | 24 |
| Alabama | 102 | 75 | 14,583 | 64 |
| Kentucky | 98 | 71 | 19,947 | 78 |
| Mississippi | 98 | 71 | 14,100 | 62 |
| Tennessee | 97 | 69 | 16,645 | 69 |
| South Dakota | 96 | 67 | 22,759 | 87 |
| Alaska | 94 | 64 | 2,683 | 15 |
| Kansas | 94 | 64 | 25,115 | 96 |
| Arkansas | 87 | 60 | 13,637 | 58 |
| Nebraska | 87 | 60 | 20,136 | 80 |
| Missouri | 86 | 58 | 22,952 | 89 |
| North Carolina | 85 | 56 | 16,367 | 67 |
| West Virginia | 84 | 55 | 12,026 | 49 |
| Georgia | 81 | 51 | 16,676 | 71 |
| Minnesota | 81 | 51 | 19,109 | 75 |
| Iowa | 78 | 49 | 21,883 | 84 |
| Virginia | 77 | 47 | 23,584 | 91 |
| North Dakota | 75 | 45 | 10,818 | 44 |
| Hawaii | 72 | 44 | 6,200 | 31 |
| Maine | 71 | 42 | 4,781 | 27 |
| Illinois | 68 | 40 | 22,088 | 85 |
| Pennsylvania | 64 | 38 | 19,427 | 76 |
| New Hampshire | 63 | 36 | 2,547 | 11 |
| Vermont | 62 | 35 | 3,449 | 18 |
| Idaho | 60 | 31 | 5,142 | 29 |
| Ohio | 60 | 31 | 16,184 | 65 |
| Massachusetts | 59 | 25 | 6,781 | 33 |
| New Jersey | 59 | 25 | 8,218 | 35 |
| Utah | 59 | 25 | 4,578 | 25 |
| Wisconsin | 56 | 24 | 13,807 | 60 |
| Indiana | 54 | 22 | 12,687 | 53 |
| Puerto Rico | 51 | 18 | 2,944 | 16 |
| South Carolina | 51 | 18 | 10,520 | 42 |
| Michigan | 46 | 16 | 9,052 | 36 |
| Wyoming | 45 | 15 | 12,494 | 51 |
| Connecticut | 43 | 13 | 2,622 | 13 |
| Maryland | 38 | 11 | 10,290 | 40 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 33 | 9 | 88 | 0 |
| Rhode Island | 31 | 7 | 924 | 7 |
| Delaware | 26 | 5 | 1,475 | 9 |
| Guam | 25 | 4 | 258 | 2 |
| District of Columbia | 24 | 2 | 452 | 5 |
| American Samoa | 17 | 0 | 292 | 4 |
What shapes American Samoa's record?
FEMA declaration types in American Samoa
Wider bars = more declarations of that incident type
- Hurricane
Hurricane
5 declarations
- Typhoon
Typhoon
4 declarations
- Severe Storm
Severe Storm
3 declarations
- Biological
Biological
2 declarations
- Drought 1
Drought
1 declarations
- Flood 1
Flood
1 declarations
- Earthquake 1
Earthquake
1 declarations
What this shows Hurricane leads American Samoa's FEMA declaration mix with 5 records among the types shown.
NOAA storm events by year
Reported severe-weather events in American Samoa, 2015–2025 catalog window.
Peak year in this series: 2025 (93 events). Counts are reported events, not a complete census.
23 /100
Historical Activity Index
Low historical activity
American Samoa · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite mixing OpenFEMA declaration totals (1953–present) with NOAA Storm Events (2015–2025), different windows and event definitions, disclosed weights on the methodology page . 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) Low
3/30
17 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.2x state average)
NOAA Storm Events (2015–2025) Low
0/25
292 NOAA storm events in the 2015–2025 extract (0.0x median state)
NOAA Damage (2015–2025) Low
2/25
Recorded NOAA property+crop damage in the 2015–2025 extract (0.2x median state)
Hazard Diversity Very High
18/20
7 different disaster types declared in American Samoa
What does American Samoa's hazard record show?
FEMA disaster declarations
American Samoa (AS) has a low level of federal declaration activity, with 17 FEMA declaration records, including 15 Major Disaster declarations (DR). A DR may authorize Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, or both; those program approvals are not implied by the DR count. The dominant declaration type is Hurricane, followed by Typhoon (4), Severe Storm (3), Biological (2). Declaration counts at the state level reflect the cumulative federal footprint: large multi-county events count once per state, but repeat hazard patterns across decades are visible in the breakdown below.
Flood exposure & where to dig deeper
Flood exposure is quantified separately through the National Flood Insurance Program. Policyholders across 1American Samoa counties have filed 8 NFIP claims totaling $4.7K, or an average of $593 per claim. NFIP data captures only insured flood losses, so uninsured flood damage and storm-surge losses outside mapped high-risk zones remain invisible in this figure. The highest-Expected-Annual-Loss hazard across the state is Tsunami, estimated at $0.0B annually. Drill into individual counties and county-equivalents for localized risk, read FEMA's hazard-specific briefings, and review insurance and flood-zone designations, state-level averages can mask sharp county-to-county differences in exposure and resilience.
NOAA storm events & FEMA National Risk Index
NOAA's Storm Events Database adds the near-term severe-weather lens. Between 2015 and 2025, American Samoa recorded 292 individual storm events, causing 16 fatalities and 7 injuries, with combined property and crop damage estimated at $88.7M. The most frequent event types in the state are Flash Flood (84 events), Heavy Rain (62 events), High Surf (41 events). Across the state's 3 analyzed counties and county-equivalents, FEMA's own National Risk Index flags 0 as high-risk, with an average county Risk Index score (FEMA's own formula, distinct from our Historical Activity tool below) of 0.0/100.
What this count is, and is not. Storm Events is a reported database: NOAA compiles it from National Weather Service offices, trained spotters, law enforcement, and the public. It is a record of what was observed and logged, not a complete census of severe weather. Densely populated areas report more events than sparsely populated ones with similar meteorological exposure, and detection has improved over time, so an event count is not a like-for-like measure of hazard between places or across decades. Damage figures are field estimates, not audited losses. See methodology.
Disaster Types in American Samoa
Hurricane 5
Typhoon 4
Severe Storm 3
Biological 2
Drought 1
Flood 1
Earthquake 1
Storm Events by Type
NOAA storm event data for American Samoa (2015-2025).
| Event Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | 84 | 1 | 3 | $13.6M |
| Heavy Rain | 62 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
| High Surf | 41 | 10 | 2 | $285.0K |
| High Wind | 27 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| Strong Wind | 26 | 0 | 0 | $138.0K |
| Flood | 10 | 0 | 0 | $135.0K |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 10 | 0 | 0 | $427.0K |
| Tsunami | 6 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Rip Current | 5 | 5 | 1 | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | 4 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Lightning | 4 | 0 | 1 | $120.0K |
| Heat | 3 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Tropical Storm | 2 | 0 | 0 | $55.0M |
| Hurricane (Typhoon) | 2 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Seiche | 2 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Funnel Cloud | 1 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Drought | 1 | 0 | 0 | $50.0K |
| Storm Surge/Tide | 1 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Excessive Heat | 1 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
Storm Events by Year
| Year | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 93 | 3 | 5 | $5.6M |
| 2024 | 23 | 1 | 1 | $997.0K |
| 2023 | 31 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2022 | 24 | 0 | 0 | $2.3M |
| 2021 | 14 | 2 | 0 | $280.0K |
| 2020 | 29 | 5 | 0 | $816.0K |
| 2019 | 21 | 4 | 0 | $45.0K |
| 2018 | 23 | 0 | 1 | $50.1M |
| 2017 | 13 | 0 | 0 | $447.0K |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| 2015 | 14 | 1 | 0 | $13.0M |
FEMA Disaster Declarations
How the 17 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download all 17 declarations as CSV . Source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
17 unique disaster declarations in American Samoa.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4669 | HIGH SURF, HIGH WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2022-09-15 |
| 4537 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-04-17 |
| 3465 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4357 | TROPICAL STORM GITA | DR | Hurricane | 2018-03-02 |
| 3397 | TROPICAL STORM GITA | EM | Hurricane | 2018-02-11 |
| 4192 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND LANDSLIDES | DR | Severe Storm | 2014-09-10 |
| 1859 | EARTHQUAKE,TSUNAMI, AND FLOODING | DR | Earthquake | 2009-09-29 |
| 1582 | TC OLAF, INCLUD. HIGH WINDS AND SURF AND HEAVY RAINFALL | DR | Typhoon | 2005-02-18 |
| 1506 | HIGH WINDS, HIGH SURF, AND HEAVY RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH TROPCIAL CYCLONE HETA | DR | Typhoon | 2004-01-13 |
| 1473 | HEAVY RAINFALL, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Severe Storm | 2003-06-06 |
| 927 | HURRICANE VAL | DR | Hurricane | 1991-12-13 |
| 855 | HURRICANE OFA | DR | Hurricane | 1990-02-09 |
| 785 | HURRICANE TUSI | DR | Hurricane | 1987-01-24 |
| 637 | TYPHOON ESAU | DR | Typhoon | 1981-03-24 |
| 610 | FLOODING, MUDSLIDES & LANDSLIDES | DR | Flood | 1979-11-09 |
| 449 | DROUGHT | DR | Drought | 1974-09-30 |
| 213 | TYPHOON & HIGH TIDES | DR | Typhoon | 1966-02-10 |
FEMA National Risk Index
Composite natural hazard risk scores for American Samoa counties and county-equivalents based on FEMA's National Risk Index.
Avg County Risk Score
0.0/100
High Risk Areas
0
of 3 counties and county-equivalents
Top Hazard by EAL
Tsunami
$0.0B annual loss est.
Top 5 Hazards by Expected Annual Loss
#1
Tsunami
$35.2M EAL
#2
Earthquake
$11.3M EAL
#3
Riverine Flooding
$10.6M EAL
#4
Hurricane
$7.8M EAL
#5
Coastal Flooding
$101.3K EAL
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) EAL = Expected Annual Loss. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
National Flood Insurance Program claims across American Samoa from FEMA NFIP data.
Total Claims
8
Total Paid
$4.7K
Avg Per Claim
$593
Counties With Claims
1
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
Counties and county-equivalents in American Samoa
5 counties and county-equivalents with FEMA disaster data.
| # | Area | Disasters | Major |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western District | 16 | 14 |
| 2 | Eastern District | 16 | 14 |
| 3 | Manu'a District | 15 | 13 |
| 4 | Swains Island | 14 | 12 |
| 5 | Rose Island | 14 | 12 |
All 5 counties and county-equivalents in American Samoa are listed above.
Disaster Preparedness Guides
Learn more about natural disaster risk, preparedness, and data interpretation.
Preparing for Natural Disasters
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Hazard Risk by Region
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Climate Change & Disasters
How climate trends are changing the frequency and severity of natural disasters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What natural disasters affect American Samoa?
American Samoa is affected by hurricane, typhoon, severe storm, biological. The most common disaster type is Hurricane, based on 17 FEMA disaster declarations on record.
How many FEMA disaster declarations has American Samoa had?
American Samoa has received 17 FEMA disaster declarations, including 15 major disaster declarations. The declaration history covers several disaster types, including Hurricane (5), Typhoon (4), Severe Storm (3).
What severe weather events are most common in American Samoa?
The most common severe weather events in American Samoa include flash flood (84 events), heavy rain (62 events), high surf (41 events). Between 2015 and 2025, NOAA recorded these events causing 16 fatalities and $88.7M in property and crop damage.
How active is American Samoa's federal disaster declaration record?
American Samoa has a low level of historical federal declaration activity, based on 17 FEMA declaration records. This band is not a future-risk forecast. Separately, NOAA storm events from 2015-2025 record 16 fatalities and 7 injuries. NOAA property and crop damage records total $88.7M.
How many flood insurance claims has American Samoa had?
American Samoa has 8 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims with $4.7K total paid out. Claims average $593, with 1 counties reporting flood insurance claims.
Which counties and county-equivalents in American Samoa have the most disaster declarations?
Among 5 counties and county-equivalents in American Samoa, those with the most FEMA declaration records include Western (16 declarations), Eastern (16 declarations), Manu'a (15 declarations). Breaking the declarations down by county reveals patterns a statewide total can mask.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025) FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025) For informational purposes only
What this means for American Samoa
Western alone accounts for 94% of American Samoa's FEMA disaster declarations, out of 5 counties tracked statewide.
- The declaration record is uneven within the state: Western and Eastern carry the most FEMA declarations. Browse counties
- See how American Samoa ranks against other states for disaster frequency and damage. State rankings
- Learn what FEMA declarations, NRI risk scores, and damage figures do and don't tell you. Disaster-data guide
Historical declaration counts and damage totals describe past federal response, not a forecast. For current threats, follow the National Weather Service and local officials; in an emergency call 911.
PlainHazard derives this presentation from FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries. Its county 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.
Related
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainHazard Editorial
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.