Desha County, AR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Desha County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Desha County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, drought, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 33 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (97th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Desha County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1973, covering 8 disaster types including flood (6), severe storm (5), winter storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Tornado | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Laura |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1973.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 3.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 33.4 | 20 | 0 | $1.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 83.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 64 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 55.6 | 3 | 0 | $10K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 63.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 49.4 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 41.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 18 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 52 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 25.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 19 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 70.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 18.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Desha County ranks in the 97th percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 97th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 92nd | High |
| Household characteristics | 100th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 90th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 74th | Moderate |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 22nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 22nd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 31.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 33 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (+6% — relatively stable).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Desha County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Desha County, Arkansas are earthquake, drought, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Desha County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Desha County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has Desha County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Desha County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Desha County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bolivar County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Lincoln County, AR has the lowest (Very Low). Desha County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Desha County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Desha County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Desha County's composite score of 33 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 33% of US counties.