Vermilion Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Vermilion Parish has experienced 46 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Vermilion Parish's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 22% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (79th 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. Vermilion Parish has been designated in 46 declarations since 1972, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (28), flood (6), coastal storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 46 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 | 44.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | 14 | 1 | $120.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 66.2 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 34.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 77 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 29.9 | 4 | 0 | $157K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 95.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 25 | 8 | 0 | $250K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 16.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 11.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 64.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 77.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 91.1 | 2 | 0 | $26K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 97.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 11.6 | 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
Vermilion Parish ranks in the 79th 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 | 79th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 70th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 89th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 57th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 69th | 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 | 47th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 60th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 51.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 32 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 18 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (-22% — 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 Vermilion Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana are drought, hurricane, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Vermilion Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Vermilion Parish has received 46 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (28 declarations).
Has Vermilion Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Vermilion Parish include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Vermilion 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 Cameron Parish, LA has the lowest (Very Low). Vermilion Parish is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Vermilion Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Vermilion 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. Vermilion Parish's composite score of 85 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 85% of US counties.