Seneca County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Seneca County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Seneca County's highest-rated hazards are drought, ice storm, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Seneca County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1972, covering 8 disaster types including biological (2), flood (2), hurricane (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2003 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2003 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storm |
| 2001 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 2001 | Fire | Fires And Explosions |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 25.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 63.6 | 16 | 0 | $1.9M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 47 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 33.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 30.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 59.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 53.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 29.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 10.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 69.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 20.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 33.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 72.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 23.9 | 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
Seneca County ranks in the 57th 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 | 57th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 66th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 29th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 35th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 71st | Moderate |
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 | 5th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 5th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 59.1% | — |
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 Seneca County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Seneca County, New York are drought, ice storm, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Seneca County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Seneca County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Seneca County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Seneca County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Seneca County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Tompkins County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Schuyler County, NY has the lowest (Very Low). Seneca County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Seneca County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Seneca 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. Seneca County's composite score of 42 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 42% of US counties.