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Emanuel County, Georgia

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
74th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$9Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Emanuel County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 60% of US counties. It ranks 74th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $8.9 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $392 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 19 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Emanuel County

$2.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 years.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.

Hurricane

Moderate
$2.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 years.
  • Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
  • Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low34.1
$3M
HurricaneModerate84.0
$2M
TornadoLow58.8
$1M
EarthquakeLow72.5
$679K
DroughtModerate76.7
$549K
Heat waveLow65.9
$549K
Strong windLow29.4
$207K
LightningLow47.8
$154K
Cold waveVery Low17.6
$133K
HailLow38.4
$121K
WildfireVery Low52.5
$39K
Ice stormVery Low21.5
$13K
Winter weatherVery Low9.8
$5K
LandslideVery Low14.8
$43

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Emanuel County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane10
Severe Storm2
Severe Ice Storm2
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Flood1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Sep 7, 2023Hurricane IdaliaMajor disaster
Oct 14, 2018Hurricane MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Oct 8, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Show all 20
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Mar 6, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 11, 2014Severe Winter StormEmergency
May 23, 2008Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Oct 19, 1990Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

Georgia also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 193 storm reports in Emanuel County since 1952, with 1 death and 4 injuries and about $3.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on July 22, 1970.

15tornadoes
49hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
115damaging thunderstorm winds
7floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jul 22, 1970F2–1 / 1
May 11, 2008EF2Blundale0 / 0
Sep 28, 1963F2–0 / 0
Apr 15, 2007EF2Twin City0 / 0
Apr 15, 2007EF1Adrian0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 11, 2008TornadoBlundale$750K
Aug 14, 2010LightningStillmore$500K
Jul 31, 2002LightningSwainsboro$300K
Sep 28, 1963Tornado–$250K
Apr 15, 2007TornadoTwin City$250K
Apr 15, 2007TornadoAdrian$175K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 25, 2025. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1851, 7 hurricanes and 35 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Emanuel County, 12 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1854, with top winds near 90 mph about 62 miles away.

7hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
35tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 9, 1854UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph62 mi
Aug 28, 1881UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph59 mi
Oct 15, 1947UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph63 mi
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 80 mph63 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph49 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph65 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 1, 80 mph63 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaTropical storm, 65 mph62 mi
Jul 8, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph62 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 60 mph54 mi
Sep 2, 2016HermineTropical storm, 60 mph59 mi
Jun 14, 2006AlbertoTropical storm, 40 mph56 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Emanuel County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (19 policies)
9.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$4,777paid on 6 flood claims since 1978
2013costliest year, with $2,687 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Emanuel County

$94,700median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1982median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
46%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
32%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 10,036 housing units.

Compare in Georgia

All 159 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Fulton CountyHighInland flooding
Gwinnett CountyHighInland flooding
Cobb CountyHighInland flooding
DeKalb CountyModerateInland flooding
Clayton CountyModerateInland flooding
Chatham CountyHighHurricane
Cherokee CountyModerateInland flooding
Forsyth CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Bulloch CountyLow20
Laurens CountyLow17
Toombs CountyVery Low21
Burke CountyVery Low18
Tattnall CountyLow21
Jefferson CountyVery Low17
Candler CountyVery Low20
Johnson CountyVery Low17

Common questions about Emanuel County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Emanuel County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Emanuel County, about $2.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $2.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Emanuel County had?

Emanuel County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Emanuel County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 74th highest of 159 in Georgia. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Emanuel County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Emanuel County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Emanuel County had?

NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in Emanuel County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on July 22, 1970. The weather service has also logged 49 hail reports and 7 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Emanuel County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 7 hurricanes and 35 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Emanuel County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1854, with winds near 90 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.