Every federal disaster in Athens since 1953
Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered Clarke County. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.
- Declarations
- 20since 1953
- Major disasters
- 11the most serious kind
- Since 2000
- 11declarations
- Most recent
- 2026Hurricane Isaias
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Clarke County's overall natural hazard risk relatively low, led by ice storm. The history above shows what has actually happened; the risk index estimates what is likely.
All declarations
| Declared | Event | Type | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9, 2026 | Hurricane Isaias | Emergency | EM-3657 |
| Jan 24, 2026 | Severe Winter Storm | Emergency | EM-3642 |
| Sep 26, 2024 | Hurricane Helene | Emergency | EM-3616 |
| Mar 29, 2020 | COVID-19 Pandemic | Major disaster | DR-4501 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3464 |
| Oct 10, 2018 | Hurricane Michael | Emergency | EM-3406 |
| Sep 15, 2017 | Hurricane Irma | Major disaster | DR-4338 |
| Sep 8, 2017 | Hurricane Irma | Emergency | EM-3387 |
| Feb 11, 2014 | Severe Winter Storm | Emergency | EM-3368 |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Emergency | EM-3218 |
| Jan 28, 2000 | Severe Winter Storm | Major disaster | DR-1311 |
| Jul 20, 1977 | Drought | Emergency | EM-3044 |
| Jun 11, 1973 | Severe Storms & Tornadoes | Major disaster | DR-391 |
| Apr 4, 1973 | Tornadoes & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-370 |
| Nov 4, 1964 | Flooding | Major disaster | DR-180 |
| Sep 10, 1964 | Hurricane Dora | Major disaster | DR-177 |
| Mar 26, 1963 | Severe Storms & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-150 |
| Mar 2, 1961 | Floods | Major disaster | DR-110 |
| Mar 17, 1954 | Tornado | Major disaster | DR-16 |
| May 2, 1953 | Tornado | Major disaster | DR-1 |
Frequently asked questions
How many federal disasters has Athens had?
Since 1953, the federal government has issued 20 disaster or emergency declarations covering Clarke County, including 11 major disaster declarations. 11 of them came in 2000 or later.
What was the most recent federal disaster in Athens?
Hurricane Isaias (Emergency, declared October 9, 2026).
What kinds of disasters hit Athens most often?
By FEMA incident type: hurricane (5), tornado (4), flood (3) and biological (2).
New to Athens? The city profile covers flood maps and emergency alerts, and the risk summary shows FEMA's hazard ratings.
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), downloaded October 18, 2026. We list declarations that named Clarke County, plus early statewide declarations from before FEMA designated individual counties. "Major disaster" declarations bring the widest federal aid; "emergency" declarations cover shorter-term help; "fire management" declarations help pay to fight large wildfires.