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Richland Parish, Louisiana

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

Very Low overall risk
46th of 64highest risk in Louisiana
$8Mexpected losses a year
34federal declarations
1 in 17homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Richland Parish, Louisiana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 63% of US counties. It ranks 46th of 64 parishes in Louisiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $7.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $377 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (19 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 17 homes here carry federal flood insurance (460 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $11 million on 473 claims here, including $4.0 million for floods in 2016.

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

Top risks in Richland Parish

$2.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$1.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.
$714,923 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 19 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low30.8
$2M
TornadoModerate71.8
$2M
Heat waveLow74.0
$715K
Strong windModerate72.9
$685K
Cold waveLow42.3
$466K
DroughtModerate74.7
$447K
EarthquakeLow61.6
$324K
HailLow66.9
$318K
HurricaneLow66.2
$265K
Ice stormModerate73.9
$177K
LightningLow25.2
$58K
WildfireVery Low24.6
$7K
Winter weatherVery Low9.5
$5K
LandslideVery Low17.1
$53

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

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane17
Flood6
Severe Storm3
Snowstorm2
Coastal Storm2
Severe Ice Storm2

Most recent

Feb 18, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
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
Oct 27, 2020Tropical Storm ZetaEmergency
Oct 16, 2020Hurricane DeltaMajor disaster
Show all 34
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
Mar 13, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2012Hurricane IsaacMajor disaster
May 6, 2011FloodingEmergency
Sep 2, 2008Hurricane GustavMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Nov 2, 2006Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2005Hurricane KatrinaEmergency
Feb 15, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 21, 1999Severe Ice StormMajor disaster
May 3, 1991Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
May 20, 1989Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 11, 1983Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 20, 1978Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency
Apr 27, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 1965Hurricane BetsyMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 411 storm reports in Richland Parish since 1953, with 1 death and 51 injuries and about $67 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 1, 1983.

40tornadoes
114hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
207damaging thunderstorm winds
48floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 1, 1983F3–0 / 0
May 17, 1953F3–17 / 0
Jan 18, 1973F3–0 / 0
Dec 3, 1973F2–23 / 0
Mar 20, 1976F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 3, 2008Flash FloodMangham$41M
Oct 16, 2006Flash FloodArchibald$10M
Dec 3, 1973Tornado–$3M
Apr 1, 1983Tornado–$3M
Oct 19, 2006Flash FloodMangham$700K
Oct 13, 2009Flash FloodRayville Muni Arpt$450K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 22, 2026. 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 1888, 2 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Richland Parish, 7 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1909, with top winds near 85 mph about 50 miles away.

2hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
13tropical storms
2020most recent: Delta

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 21, 1909UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph50 mi
Aug 20, 1888UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph61 mi
Sep 10, 1965BetsyTropical storm, 65 mph61 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 60 mph48 mi
Sep 2, 1985ElenaTropical storm, 60 mph61 mi
Jun 17, 1934UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph65 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 10, 2020DeltaTropical storm, 55 mph60 mi
Aug 30, 2012IsaacTropical storm, 50 mph61 mi
Oct 3, 2002LiliTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Sep 2, 1985ElenaTropical storm, 60 mph61 mi
Aug 16, 1985DannyTropical storm, 50 mph56 mi
Sep 10, 1965BetsyTropical storm, 65 mph61 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 Richland Parish

Check your address flood zone ›
5.9%of homes have federal flood insurance (460 policies)
27.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$11.1 millionpaid on 473 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $4 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 Richland Parish

$141,900median home value (Louisiana $216,500, US $332,700)
1979median year homes were built (Louisiana 1983, US 1980)
52%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
24.1%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; 8,734 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
Ouachita ParishModerate41
Morehouse ParishLow32
Franklin ParishVery Low40
Madison ParishVery Low31
West Carroll ParishVery Low29
Caldwell ParishVery Low36
East Carroll ParishVery Low30

Common questions about Richland Parish

What is the biggest natural hazard in Richland Parish?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Richland Parish, about $2.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Richland Parish had?

Richland Parish has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 19 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Richland Parish a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 46th 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 Richland Parish?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 17 homes in Richland 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 Richland Parish had?

NOAA records list 40 tornadoes in Richland Parish since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 1, 1983. The weather service has also logged 114 hail reports and 48 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Richland Parish?

NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Richland Parish. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1909, with winds near 85 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.