Iberia Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Iberia Parish has experienced 43 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Iberia Parish's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 33% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (94th 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. Iberia Parish has been designated in 43 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (30), flood (4), coastal storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm 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 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 43 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 | 29 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81.4 | 17 | 0 | $141.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 72 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 46.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 91.6 | 3 | 0 | $500K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 97.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 39.8 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 41.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 45.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 60.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 85.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 95.9 | 2 | 0 | $25K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 91.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 16.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Iberia Parish ranks in the 94th 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 | 94th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 84th | High |
| Household characteristics | 94th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 81st | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 91st | 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 | 19th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 22nd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 26.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 35 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 21 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (-33% — frequency decreasing).
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 Iberia Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Iberia Parish, Louisiana are hurricane, lightning, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Iberia Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Iberia Parish has received 43 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (30 declarations).
Has Iberia Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Iberia Parish include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Iberia Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lafayette Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Assumption Parish, LA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Iberia Parish is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Iberia Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Iberia 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. Iberia Parish's composite score of 91 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 91% of US counties.