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Cameron Parish, Louisiana

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

Very Low overall risk
50th of 64highest risk in Louisiana
$11Mexpected losses a year
37federal declarations
1 in 3homes with flood insurance
Photo: Coast Guard News, CC BY 2.0

Cameron Parish, Louisiana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 66% of US counties. It ranks 50th of 64 parishes in Louisiana. The costliest hazards here are coastal flooding, hurricanes and lightning. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,882 per resident. Since 1971 it has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (20 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 3 homes here carry federal flood insurance (910 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $210 million on 3,470 claims here, including $105 million for floods in 2005.

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

Top risks in Cameron Parish

$3.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Learn your evacuation zone; it is set by surge risk, not by distance from the beach.
  • Ask about flood insurance even outside a mapped high-risk zone.

Hurricane

Moderate
$2.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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.
$1.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 81 times a year.
  • Go indoors when you hear thunder.
  • Use surge protectors for electronics.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Coastal floodingHigh84.6
$4M
HurricaneModerate82.1
$3M
LightningHigh94.3
$2M
Inland floodingVery Low5.9
$841K
WildfireLow86.5
$815K
TornadoLow26.7
$399K
DroughtLow61.5
$304K
Cold waveVery Low17.4
$179K
Strong windVery Low16.3
$136K
Heat waveVery Low19.0
$56K
Ice stormVery Low24.9
$23K
HailVery Low6.9
$20K
EarthquakeVery Low10.4
$10K
Winter weatherVery Low3.9
$3K
LandslideVery Low3.7
$4

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 moderate and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Cameron Parish. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane28
Coastal Storm3
Flood2
Severe Ice Storm2
Severe Storm1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 10, 2024Tropical Storm FrancineEmergency
Sep 13, 2021Tropical Storm NicholasEmergency
Aug 29, 2021Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2021Tropical Storm IdaEmergency
Mar 9, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 18, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jan 12, 2021Hurricane ZetaMajor disaster
Oct 27, 2020Tropical Storm ZetaEmergency
Oct 16, 2020Hurricane DeltaMajor disaster
Show all 37
Oct 7, 2020Hurricane DeltaEmergency
Sep 14, 2020Hurricane SallyEmergency
Aug 28, 2020Hurricane LauraMajor disaster
Aug 23, 2020Tropical Storms Laura and MarcoEmergency
Jun 7, 2020Tropical Storm CristobalEmergency
Aug 27, 2019Hurricane BarryMajor disaster
Jul 11, 2019Tropical Storm BarryEmergency
Oct 16, 2017Tropical Storm HarveyMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2017Tropical Storm HarveyEmergency
Aug 14, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2012Hurricane IsaacMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2012Tropical Storm IsaacEmergency
Sep 13, 2008Hurricane IkeMajor disaster
Sep 11, 2008Hurricane IkeEmergency
Sep 2, 2008Hurricane GustavMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2005Hurricane KatrinaEmergency
Oct 3, 2002Hurricane LiliMajor disaster
Sep 23, 1998Hurricane Georges/Ts FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 18, 1997Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Aug 26, 1992Hurricane AndrewMajor disaster
Nov 1, 1985Hurricane JuanMajor disaster
Apr 27, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 13, 1971Hurricane EdithMajor disaster

Louisiana also had 9 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 294 storm reports in Cameron Parish since 1955, with 6 deaths and 56 injuries and about $35.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 20, 1984.

68tornadoes
52hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
147damaging thunderstorm winds
12floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 20, 1984F3–0 / 0
May 20, 1983F3–0 / 0
Oct 11, 1970F2–2 / 1
Oct 22, 1979F2–6 / 0
Mar 20, 1972F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 14, 2016FloodGrand Chenier$25M
Oct 22, 1979Tornado–$3M
May 20, 1984Tornado–$3M
Feb 22, 1998Thunderstorm WindCameron$750K
Jan 10, 2013FloodGrand Chenier$650K
Apr 2, 2000TornadoHackberry$300K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 27, 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 1863, 21 hurricanes and 21 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Cameron Parish, 25 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), with top winds near 150 mph about 65 miles away.

21hurricanes
6major hurricanes (Category 3+)
21tropical storms
2020most recent: Delta

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 27, 2020LauraCategory 4, 150 mph65 mi
Jun 27, 1957AudreyCategory 3, 125 mph55 mi
Aug 6, 1918UnnamedCategory 3, 120 mph56 mi
Oct 12, 1886UnnamedCategory 3, 120 mph60 mi
Sep 24, 2005RitaCategory 3, 115 mph61 mi
Sep 8, 1974CarmenCategory 3, 115 mph64 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 9, 2020DeltaCategory 2, 100 mph58 mi
Aug 27, 2020LauraCategory 4, 150 mph65 mi
Jul 13, 2019BarryCategory 1, 75 mph65 mi
Aug 30, 2017HarveyTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Jun 22, 2017CindyTropical storm, 50 mph58 mi
Aug 5, 2008EdouardTropical storm, 65 mph62 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 Cameron Parish

Check your address flood zone ›
30.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (910 policies)
32.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$210 millionpaid on 3,470 flood claims since 1978
2005costliest year, with $105 million 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 Cameron Parish

$202,500median home value (Louisiana $216,500, US $332,700)
2005median year homes were built (Louisiana 1983, US 1980)
14%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
28.8%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; 3,463 housing units.

Compare in Louisiana

All 64 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
East Baton Rouge ParishHighInland flooding
Jefferson ParishHighHurricane
Orleans ParishHighHurricane
St. Tammany ParishHighHurricane
Lafayette ParishHighHurricane
Caddo ParishModerateInland flooding
Calcasieu ParishHighHurricane
Ouachita ParishModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Jefferson County, TXHigh28
Calcasieu ParishHigh39
Orange County, TXModerate28
Vermilion ParishModerate43
Jefferson Davis ParishLow40

Common questions about Cameron Parish

What is the biggest natural hazard in Cameron Parish?

Coastal flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Cameron Parish, about $3.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $2.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Cameron Parish had?

Cameron Parish has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1971, including 20 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Cameron Parish a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 50th highest of 64 in Louisiana. 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 Cameron Parish?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 3 homes in Cameron Parish 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 Cameron Parish had?

NOAA records list 68 tornadoes in Cameron Parish since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 20, 1984. The weather service has also logged 52 hail reports and 12 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Cameron Parish?

NOAA's hurricane records show 21 hurricanes and 21 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Cameron Parish, including 6 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), with winds near 150 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 parish, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.