Emanuel County, Georgia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 34.1 | $3M | ||
| Hurricane | 84.0 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 58.8 | $1M | ||
| Earthquake | 72.5 | $679K | ||
| Drought | 76.7 | $549K | ||
| Heat wave | 65.9 | $549K | ||
| Strong wind | 29.4 | $207K | ||
| Lightning | 47.8 | $154K | ||
| Cold wave | 17.6 | $133K | ||
| Hail | 38.4 | $121K | ||
| Wildfire | 52.5 | $39K | ||
| Ice storm | 21.5 | $13K | ||
| Winter weather | 9.8 | $5K | ||
| Landslide | 14.8 | $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
Most recent
Show all 20
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 22, 1970 | F2 | – | 1 / 1 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF2 | Blundale | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 28, 1963 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 2007 | EF2 | Twin City | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 2007 | EF1 | Adrian | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2008 | Tornado | Blundale | $750K |
| Aug 14, 2010 | Lightning | Stillmore | $500K |
| Jul 31, 2002 | Lightning | Swainsboro | $300K |
| Sep 28, 1963 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Apr 15, 2007 | Tornado | Twin City | $250K |
| Apr 15, 2007 | Tornado | Adrian | $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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 9, 1854 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 28, 1881 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 59 mi |
| Oct 15, 1947 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 1, 80 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 9, 1894 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 49 mi |
| Aug 28, 1949 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 65 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | Helene | Category 1, 80 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 30, 2023 | Idalia | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 62 mi |
| Jul 8, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 mi |
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 2, 2016 | Hermine | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 59 mi |
| Jun 14, 2006 | Alberto | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 56 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 ›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
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 counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton County | Inland flooding | |
| Gwinnett County | Inland flooding | |
| Cobb County | Inland flooding | |
| DeKalb County | Inland flooding | |
| Clayton County | Inland flooding | |
| Chatham County | Hurricane | |
| Cherokee County | Inland flooding | |
| Forsyth County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Bulloch County | 20 | |
| Laurens County | 17 | |
| Toombs County | 21 | |
| Burke County | 18 | |
| Tattnall County | 21 | |
| Jefferson County | 17 | |
| Candler County | 20 | |
| Johnson County | 17 |
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.