St. Landry Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
St. Landry Parish has experienced 46 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.
St. Landry Parish's highest-rated hazards are drought, lightning, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 16% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (93rd 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. Landry Parish has been designated in 46 declarations since 1965, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (23), flood (9), severe storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Arthur |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| 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 |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
Showing the 10 most recent of 46 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 | 65.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 87.4 | 17 | 0 | $30.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 41.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 58.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 94.1 | 19 | 1 | $1.9M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 92.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 56.1 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 60.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 50.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 84.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 96.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 97 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 33.8 | 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
St. Landry Parish ranks in the 93rd 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 | 93rd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 95th | High |
| Household characteristics | 75th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 85th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 85th | 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 | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 27th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 58.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 41 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 19 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 (+16% — frequency increasing).
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. Landry Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana are drought, lightning, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has St. Landry Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. St. Landry Parish has received 46 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (23 declarations).
Has St. Landry Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for St. Landry Parish include Tropical Storm Arthur (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does St. Landry Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lafayette Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Pointe Coupee Parish, LA has the lowest (Relatively Low). St. Landry Parish is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is St. Landry Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
St. Landry 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. Landry Parish's composite score of 88 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 88% of US counties.