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Sabine Parish, Louisiana

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

Relatively Low overall risk
37th of 64highest risk in Louisiana
$14Mexpected losses a year
30federal declarations
1 in 125homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Sabine Parish, Louisiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 61% of US counties. It ranks 37th of 64 parishes in Louisiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $631 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (96 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $698,000 on 40 claims here.

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

Top risks in Sabine Parish

$7.2 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 a year.
  • 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.
$1.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
  • Have trees near the house checked.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow66.5
$7M
TornadoModerate72.0
$2M
Strong windHigh92.5
$2M
HurricaneLow80.3
$1M
Heat waveLow76.5
$787K
LightningModerate77.0
$405K
HailLow68.1
$325K
Ice stormModerate74.9
$181K
Cold waveVery Low22.9
$172K
DroughtLow54.0
$124K
WildfireLow67.4
$90K
EarthquakeVery Low37.1
$80K
Winter weatherLow44.0
$33K
LandslideVery Low61.6
$2K

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 very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane18
Flood3
Severe Storm2
Coastal Storm2
Severe Ice Storm2
Snowstorm1

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
Oct 27, 2020Tropical Storm ZetaEmergency
Oct 16, 2020Hurricane DeltaMajor disaster
Oct 7, 2020Hurricane DeltaEmergency
Show all 30
Sep 14, 2020Hurricane SallyEmergency
Aug 28, 2020Hurricane LauraMajor disaster
Aug 23, 2020Tropical Storms Laura and MarcoEmergency
Jun 7, 2020Tropical Storm CristobalEmergency
Oct 16, 2017Tropical Storm HarveyMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2017Tropical Storm HarveyEmergency
Mar 13, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2008Hurricane IkeMajor disaster
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
Sep 11, 2000La-Western Louisiana Fire Complex-9/8/00Fire management
Jan 21, 1999Severe Ice StormMajor disaster
Jul 17, 1989Tropical Storm AllisonMajor disaster
May 20, 1989Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency

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

Storm history since 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 488 storm reports in Sabine Parish since 1950, with 13 deaths and 60 injuries and about $22.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on February 12, 1950.

43tornadoes
171hail reports, largest 3 inches
211damaging thunderstorm winds
58floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Feb 12, 1950F3–25 / 5
Mar 20, 1974F3–5 / 1
Oct 27, 1980F3–0 / 0
May 19, 1983F3–0 / 0
Nov 16, 1957F3–1 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 14, 1993TornadoMany To$6M
Feb 10, 1998Thunderstorm WindConverse$5M
Mar 20, 1974Tornado–$3M
Mar 30, 2008Flash FloodPleasant Hill$2M
Jan 9, 2022TornadoPeason Dam$2M
May 3, 2009Thunderstorm WindLoring$1M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 15, 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 1865, 5 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Sabine Parish, 10 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), with top winds near 115 mph about 59 miles away.

5hurricanes
1major hurricanes (Category 3+)
16tropical storms
2020most recent: Laura

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 27, 2020LauraCategory 3, 115 mph59 mi
Jun 27, 1957AudreyCategory 1, 85 mph51 mi
Aug 23, 1879UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph65 mi
Aug 6, 1918UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph56 mi
Oct 13, 1886UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph55 mi
Sep 14, 1865UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph53 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 27, 2020LauraCategory 3, 115 mph59 mi
Jul 14, 2019BarryTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi
Aug 30, 2017HarveyTropical storm, 40 mph62 mi
Jun 22, 2017CindyTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Sep 2, 2008GustavTropical storm, 60 mph62 mi
Sep 13, 2007HumbertoTropical storm, 50 mph60 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 Sabine Parish

Check your address flood zone ›
0.8%of homes have federal flood insurance (96 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$697,972paid on 40 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $268,427 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 Sabine Parish

$123,100median home value (Louisiana $216,500, US $332,700)
1986median year homes were built (Louisiana 1983, US 1980)
39%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
44.8%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; 13,711 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
Vernon ParishLow36
Natchitoches ParishLow38
De Soto ParishVery Low30
Shelby County, TXLow24
Newton County, TXVery Low28
Sabine County, TXVery Low23

Common questions about Sabine Parish

What is the biggest natural hazard in Sabine Parish?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Sabine Parish, about $7.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Sabine Parish had?

Sabine Parish has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Sabine Parish a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 37th 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 Sabine Parish?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Sabine 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 Sabine Parish had?

NOAA records list 43 tornadoes in Sabine Parish since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on February 12, 1950. The weather service has also logged 171 hail reports and 58 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Sabine Parish?

NOAA's hurricane records show 5 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Sabine Parish, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), with winds near 115 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.