St. Bernard Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
St. Bernard Parish has experienced 48 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.
St. Bernard Parish's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, coastal flooding, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (90th 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. St. Bernard Parish has been designated in 48 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (30), coastal storm (5), flood (4).
| 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 48 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 | 38.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 32.2 | 10 | 0 | $100K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 74.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 33.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 68.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 50.9 | 4 | 2 | $80.0M |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 95.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 33.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 14.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 24.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 17.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 51.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 73.2 | 1 | 0 | $20K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 35.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 8.3 | 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
St. Bernard Parish ranks in the 90th 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 | 90th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 94th | High |
| Household characteristics | 95th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 79th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 52nd | 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 | 45th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 60th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 9.1% | — |
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 St. Bernard Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana are hurricane, coastal flooding, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has St. Bernard Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. St. Bernard Parish has received 48 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (30 declarations).
Has St. Bernard Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for St. Bernard 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 St. Bernard Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Orleans Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Plaquemines Parish, LA has the lowest (Relatively Low). St. Bernard Parish is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is St. Bernard Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
St. Bernard 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. St. Bernard Parish's composite score of 76 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 76% of US counties.