Rapides Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rapides Parish has experienced 49 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.
Rapides Parish's highest-rated hazards are lightning, cold wave, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 28% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (91st 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. Rapides Parish has been designated in 49 declarations since 1965, covering 11 disaster types including hurricane (23), flood (10), coastal storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| 2023 | Fire | Highway 113 Fire |
| 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 Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 49 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 | Relatively Low | 78 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 82.2 | 23 | 1 | $9.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 73.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 91.5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 68.7 | 29 | 1 | $26.1M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 90.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 57.6 | 25 | 0 | $501K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 77.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 72.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 85.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 92.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 96.1 | 4 | 1 | $42K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 91.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 60.3 | 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
Rapides Parish ranks in the 91st 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 | 91st | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 77th | High |
| Household characteristics | 92nd | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 78th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 92nd | 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 | 71st | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 69th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 54.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 81 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 47 in 2016–20 vs 34 in 2021–25 (-28% — 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 Rapides Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rapides Parish, Louisiana are lightning, cold wave, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Rapides Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rapides Parish has received 49 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (23 declarations).
Has Rapides Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Rapides Parish include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Rapides Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Evangeline Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and LaSalle Parish, LA has the lowest (Very Low). Rapides Parish is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Rapides Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rapides 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. Rapides Parish's composite score of 84 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 84% of US counties.