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Tallahatchie County, Mississippi

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

Very Low overall risk
55th of 82highest risk in Mississippi
$8Mexpected losses a year
25federal declarations
1 in 91homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Tallahatchie County, Mississippi 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 55th of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $7.9 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $621 per resident. Since 1971 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (21 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 91 homes here carry federal flood insurance (57 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $767,000 on 102 claims here.

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

Top risks in Tallahatchie County

$2.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • 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
$1.4 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.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 250 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low30.3
$2M
TornadoModerate65.8
$1M
EarthquakeLow80.3
$1M
DroughtModerate85.3
$794K
Strong windModerate78.4
$774K
Cold waveLow50.2
$603K
Heat waveLow68.3
$533K
HurricaneLow64.5
$211K
LightningLow45.8
$127K
HailLow38.5
$107K
Ice stormLow31.5
$22K
WildfireVery Low42.0
$19K
Winter weatherVery Low7.3
$3K
LandslideVery Low48.4
$779

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 Tallahatchie County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm12
Hurricane4
Tornado2
Flood2
Severe Ice Storm2
Winter Storm2

Most recent

Feb 6, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Oct 22, 2021Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Aug 28, 2021Hurricane IdaEmergency
May 4, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Apr 16, 2020Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 12, 2020Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 25, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 4, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 25
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Dec 7, 2001Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 23, 2001Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 25, 1999Severe Winter Storms, Ice and Freezing RainMajor disaster
Feb 18, 1994Severe Winter Storm, Freeezing Rain and SleetMajor disaster
May 17, 1991Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 28, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 1984TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 1, 1983Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 16, 1979Storms, Tornadoes, FloodsMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency
Mar 27, 1973Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1971Storms & TornadoesMajor disaster

Mississippi also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 203 storm reports in Tallahatchie County since 1957, with 7 deaths and 69 injuries and about $36.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 21, 1984.

22tornadoes
56hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
102damaging thunderstorm winds
19floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 21, 1984F3–2 / 5
Dec 27, 1968F2–5 / 1
Apr 24, 1973F2–42 / 0
Jun 24, 1980F2–0 / 0
May 18, 1983F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 21, 1984Tornado–$25M
Apr 24, 1973Tornado–$3M
Mar 12, 1986Tornado–$3M
Jun 10, 2021Flash FloodTeasdale$1M
Mar 10, 2016FloodTutwiler$1M
Jun 19, 2007Flash FloodCharleston$750K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 19, 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 1860, 0 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Tallahatchie County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 70 mph about 63 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
12tropical storms
1969most recent: Camille

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 20, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph63 mi
Aug 18, 1969CamilleTropical storm, 60 mph55 mi
Oct 16, 1923UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph62 mi
Sep 28, 1906UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph65 mi
Oct 3, 1860UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Jul 6, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 18, 1969CamilleTropical storm, 60 mph55 mi
Jun 28, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 45 mph48 mi
Jun 17, 1934UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph60 mi
Sep 20, 1932UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph38 mi
Sep 2, 1932UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph59 mi
Oct 18, 1923UnnamedTropical storm, 45 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 Tallahatchie County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (57 policies)
4.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$766,516paid on 102 flood claims since 1978
2021costliest year, with $184,515 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 Tallahatchie County

$82,300median home value (Mississippi $169,800, US $332,700)
1978median year homes were built (Mississippi 1986, US 1980)
55%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
27%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; 5,505 housing units.

Compare in Mississippi

All 82 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Hinds CountyModerateInland flooding
Harrison CountyHighHurricane
DeSoto CountyModerateEarthquake
Rankin CountyModerateInland flooding
Jackson CountyModerateHurricane
Madison CountyModerateInland flooding
Lee CountyModerateInland flooding
Forrest CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Panola CountyLow24
Leflore CountyLow23
Sunflower CountyLow20
Grenada CountyLow25
Coahoma CountyLow21
Yalobusha CountyVery Low18
Quitman CountyVery Low20

Common questions about Tallahatchie County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Tallahatchie County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Tallahatchie County, about $2.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Tallahatchie County had?

Tallahatchie County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1971, including 21 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Tallahatchie County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 55th highest of 82 in Mississippi. 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 Tallahatchie County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 91 homes in Tallahatchie 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 Tallahatchie County had?

NOAA records list 22 tornadoes in Tallahatchie County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 21, 1984. The weather service has also logged 56 hail reports and 19 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Tallahatchie County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Tallahatchie County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 70 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.