Kauai County, HI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kauai County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Kauai County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 33% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Kauai County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1974, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (6), flood (4), severe storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Douglas |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Olivia |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lane |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lane |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1974.
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 | Relatively Moderate | 93.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 90.6 | 59 | 2 | $93.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 49.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 42.8 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 2.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 64.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 1.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83.8 | 1 | 0 | $10K |
| Drought | Very Low | 26.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 95.4 | 6 | 0 | $3.9M |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Relatively Moderate | 75.4 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
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
Kauai County ranks in the 40th 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 | 40th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 24th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 34th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 96th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 46th | 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 | 89th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 91st | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 35.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 65 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 39 in 2016–20 vs 26 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 Kauai County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kauai County, Hawaii are landslide, wildfire, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Kauai County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kauai County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (6 declarations).
Has Kauai County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Kauai County include Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Kauai County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Honolulu County, HI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Kalawao County, HI has the lowest (Very Low). Kauai County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Kauai County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kauai 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. Kauai County's composite score of 84 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 84% of US counties.