East Baton Rouge Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
East Baton Rouge Parish has experienced 47 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
East Baton Rouge Parish's highest-rated hazards are tornado, cold wave, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 176% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (85th 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. East Baton Rouge Parish has been designated in 47 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (26), flood (10), coastal storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Francine |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Zeta |
| 2021 | Coastal Storm | Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ida |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2021 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 47 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 32.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 97.3 | 87 | 7 | $2.4B |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 54.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 84.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 98.1 | 25 | 1 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99.6 | 8 | 0 | $353K |
| Hurricane | Very High | 98.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 94.9 | 34 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 79.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 67.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 92 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 98.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.3 | 10 | 1 | $4.6M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 64.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 59.7 | 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
East Baton Rouge Parish ranks in the 85th 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 | 85th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 79th | High |
| Household characteristics | 63rd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 90th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 85th | High |
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 | 25th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 24th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 24.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 158 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 42 in 2016–20 vs 116 in 2021–25 (+176% — frequency increasing).
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 East Baton Rouge Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana are tornado, cold wave, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has East Baton Rouge Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. East Baton Rouge Parish has received 47 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (26 declarations).
Has East Baton Rouge Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for East Baton Rouge Parish include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024), Hurricane Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does East Baton Rouge Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Livingston Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and West Baton Rouge Parish, LA has the lowest (Very Low). East Baton Rouge Parish is rated Relatively High overall.
How is East Baton Rouge Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
East Baton Rouge Parish'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. East Baton Rouge Parish's composite score of 98 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 98% of US counties.