Terrell County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Terrell County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1994, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Terrell County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (98th 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. Terrell County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1994, covering 5 disaster types including hurricane (5), biological (2), tropical storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1998 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1994 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding Torrential Rain(Trop Storm Alberto) |
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 | 41.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 12.9 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 40.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 28.9 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 50.1 | 3 | 0 | $20K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 73.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 50.8 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 14.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 6.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 9.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 40.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 41.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 84.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 3.5 | 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
Terrell County ranks in the 98th 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 | 98th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 99th | High |
| Household characteristics | 69th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 94th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 97th | 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 | 47th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 47th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 66.7% | — |
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 Terrell County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Terrell County, Georgia are drought, hurricane, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Terrell County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Terrell County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1994, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (5 declarations).
Has Terrell County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Terrell County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1994.
How does Terrell County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Dougherty County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Webster County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Terrell County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Terrell County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Terrell 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. Terrell County's composite score of 17 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 17% of US counties.