Sabine Parish, Louisiana Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · LA
LowComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 61th
Sabine Parish faces low composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 61.0, 61th national percentile), driven primarily by strong wind and hurricane exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $14M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
Overall natural disaster risk in Sabine Parish is low, with a National Risk Index score of 61.0 out of 100 — placing it in the 61st national percentile and below the national average for natural-disaster risk. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Most of Sabine Parish's expected losses come from strong wind (damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes) at High risk — $2M in expected annual loss and about 3.52 events per year; hurricane (tropical cyclones bringing extreme wind, rain, and storm surge) at Low risk — $1M in expected annual loss and about 0.08 events per year; and lightning (electrical discharges from storms that ignite fires and cause casualties) at Medium risk — $405K in expected annual loss and about 69.61 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $14M in expected annual loss for a population of 22K.
Beyond physical exposure, Sabine Parish has a very high social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a very low community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). That combination — a more vulnerable population with limited resilience — can amplify the human cost of any given event.
The federal record bears this out: Sabine Parish has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including 18 for hurricane events and 3 for flood events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm (winter storm), declared in January 2026.
Among 64 Louisiana counties, Sabine Parish ranks #37 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Strong Wind | High | 3.52 / yr | $2M |
| Hurricane | Low | 0.08 / yr | $1M |
| Lightning | Medium | 69.61 / yr | $405K |
| Heat Wave | Low | 21.00 / yr | $787K |
| Ice Storm | Medium | 0.95 / yr | $181K |
| Tornado | Medium | 0.81 / yr | $2M |
| Hail | Low | 3.30 / yr | $325K |
| Wildfire | Low | 0.00 / yr | $90K |
| Riverine Flood | Low | 1.00 / yr | $7M |
| Landslide | Very Low | 0.36 / yr | $2K |
| Drought | Low | 27.93 / yr | $124K |
| Winter Weather | Low | 2.26 / yr | $33K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $80K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 0.58 / yr | $172K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Sabine Parish has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in January 2026. Most frequent causes: Hurricane (18), Flood (3), Coastal Storm (2).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| September 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| September 2021 | Coastal Storm | Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| August 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| August 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ida |
| March 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| February 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| October 2020 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Zeta |
| October 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
| October 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 33 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Sabine Parish?
Sabine Parish has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 61.0 out of 100, placing it in the Low category and the 61th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Sabine Parish?
The three highest-rated hazards are Strong Wind (High, $2M EAL), Hurricane (Low, $1M EAL), Lightning (Medium, $405K EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Sabine Parish compare to other Louisiana counties?
Sabine Parish ranks #37 of 64 Louisiana counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a low rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Sabine Parish had?
FEMA records 33 federal disaster declarations for Sabine Parish since 1977, most often 18 for hurricane events and 3 for flood events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm, declared in January 2026.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Sabine Parish's $14M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.