Plaquemines Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Plaquemines Parish has experienced 45 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Plaquemines Parish's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, coastal flooding, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Plaquemines Parish has been designated in 45 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (32), coastal storm (4), severe ice storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Francine |
| 2023 | Other | Seawater Intrusion |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 45 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 | 20.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 26.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 83 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 29.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 62.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 40.2 | 5 | 0 | $310K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 94.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 27.7 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 4.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 16.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 13 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 45.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 51.1 | 1 | 0 | $20K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 82.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 15.6 | 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
Plaquemines Parish ranks in the 65th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 65th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 41st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 72nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 76th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 75th | 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 | 23rd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 26.5% | — |
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 Plaquemines Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana are hurricane, coastal flooding, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Plaquemines Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Plaquemines Parish has received 45 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (32 declarations).
Has Plaquemines Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Plaquemines 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 Plaquemines Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jefferson Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and St. Bernard Parish, LA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Plaquemines Parish is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Plaquemines Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Plaquemines 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. Plaquemines Parish's composite score of 73 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 73% of US counties.