Itawamba County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Itawamba County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Itawamba County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, lightning, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 260% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (25th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Itawamba County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (14), hurricane (5), winter storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 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 | 28.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 28.2 | 8 | 0 | $366K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 77 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 70.8 | 73 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 66.4 | 9 | 0 | $830K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 54.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 30.2 | 25 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 47.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 10.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 38.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 89.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 78.2 | 1 | 1 | $10K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 40.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 74.6 | 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
Itawamba County ranks in the 25th percentile (Low) 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 | 25th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 34th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 8th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 33rd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 43rd | Low |
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 | 51st | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 90.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 115 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 25 in 2016–20 vs 90 in 2021–25 (+260% — 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 Itawamba County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Itawamba County, Mississippi are cold wave, lightning, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Itawamba County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Itawamba County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (14 declarations).
Has Itawamba County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Itawamba County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Itawamba County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lee County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Tishomingo County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Itawamba County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Itawamba County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Itawamba 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. Itawamba County's composite score of 50 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 50% of US counties.