Richland Parish, Louisiana
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 30.8 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 71.8 | $2M | ||
| Heat wave | 74.0 | $715K | ||
| Strong wind | 72.9 | $685K | ||
| Cold wave | 42.3 | $466K | ||
| Drought | 74.7 | $447K | ||
| Earthquake | 61.6 | $324K | ||
| Hail | 66.9 | $318K | ||
| Hurricane | 66.2 | $265K | ||
| Ice storm | 73.9 | $177K | ||
| Lightning | 25.2 | $58K | ||
| Wildfire | 24.6 | $7K | ||
| Winter weather | 9.5 | $5K | ||
| Landslide | 17.1 | $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
Most recent
Show all 34
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 1983 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 17, 1953 | F3 | – | 17 / 0 |
| Jan 18, 1973 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 3, 1973 | F2 | – | 23 / 0 |
| Mar 20, 1976 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 3, 2008 | Flash Flood | Mangham | $41M |
| Oct 16, 2006 | Flash Flood | Archibald | $10M |
| Dec 3, 1973 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 1, 1983 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Oct 19, 2006 | Flash Flood | Mangham | $700K |
| Oct 13, 2009 | Flash Flood | Rayville 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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 21, 1909 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 50 mi |
| Aug 20, 1888 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 10, 1965 | Betsy | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 61 mi |
| Jun 28, 1957 | Audrey | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 48 mi |
| Sep 2, 1985 | Elena | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 61 mi |
| Jun 17, 1934 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 65 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2020 | Delta | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 30, 2012 | Isaac | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
| Oct 3, 2002 | Lili | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 2, 1985 | Elena | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 16, 1985 | Danny | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 56 mi |
| Sep 10, 1965 | Betsy | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 61 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 ›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
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 counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| East Baton Rouge Parish | Inland flooding | |
| Jefferson Parish | Hurricane | |
| Orleans Parish | Hurricane | |
| St. Tammany Parish | Hurricane | |
| Lafayette Parish | Hurricane | |
| Caddo Parish | Inland flooding | |
| Calcasieu Parish | Hurricane | |
| Ouachita Parish | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Ouachita Parish | 41 | |
| Morehouse Parish | 32 | |
| Franklin Parish | 40 | |
| Madison Parish | 31 | |
| West Carroll Parish | 29 | |
| Caldwell Parish | 36 | |
| East Carroll Parish | 30 |
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.