Ohio natural disasters & FEMA declarations
OH · 37th most declarations of 51 states/DC
Ohio has had 60 federally declared disasters since 1956, the 37th most of any US state or DC. Its most common hazard is Severe Storm (24 declarations, about 40% of the total). The most recent declaration was "Tornadoes" (Tornado), on May 2, 2024.
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Declarations by hazard type
These are the distinct FEMA disaster declarations for Ohio, grouped by their primary incident type. A single declaration can affect many counties; each is counted once here.
| Hazard / incident type | Declarations | Share of state total |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storm | 24 | 40% |
| Flood | 17 | 28% |
| Tornado | 8 | 13% |
| Snowstorm | 4 | 7% |
| Biological | 2 | 3% |
| Hurricane | 2 | 3% |
| Other | 2 | 3% |
| Mud/Landslide | 1 | 2% |
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Declarations by program type
FEMA issues several kinds of declaration. Major Disaster (DR) declarations unlock the widest assistance; Emergency (EM) declarations are more limited; and Fire Management Assistance (FM) grants help fight large wildfires.
| Declaration type | Declarations |
|---|---|
| Major Disaster (DR) | 52 |
| Emergency (EM) | 8 |
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Declarations by decade
How Ohio's declaration count has changed over time. Earlier decades reflect both fewer disasters and a narrower federal declaration program; recent decades are the most complete.
| Decade | Declarations |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 2 |
| 1960s | 5 |
| 1970s | 10 |
| 1980s | 6 |
| 1990s | 7 |
| 2000s | 20 |
| 2010s | 7 |
| 2020s | 3 |
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Most recent declarations
| Date | Title | Type | FEMA ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 2024 | Tornadoes | Tornado | DR-4777-OH |
| Mar 31, 2020 | Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | DR-4507-OH |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Covid-19 | Biological | EM-3457-OH |
| Jun 18, 2019 | Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslide | Tornado | DR-4447-OH |
| Apr 8, 2019 | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides | Flood | DR-4424-OH |
| Apr 17, 2018 | Severe Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | DR-4360-OH |
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Notable earthquakes in or near Ohio
No magnitude-6.0+ earthquakes are attributed to Ohio in the USGS catalog used here. That does not mean the state has zero seismic risk — smaller earthquakes occur in most states. See our earthquake risk by region guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many federally declared disasters has Ohio had?
Ohio has had 60 distinct FEMA disaster declarations since 1956, the 37th most of any US state or DC, according to FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries.
What is the most common disaster in Ohio?
The most common federally declared disaster type in Ohio is "Severe Storm", with 24 declarations — about 40% of the state's total.
When was the most recent disaster declaration in Ohio?
The most recent FEMA declaration in Ohio in this snapshot was "Tornadoes" (Tornado), declared May 2, 2024.
Related
Source & notes
Disaster data from OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2; earthquake data from USGS Earthquake Hazards Program (FDSN event service). Both are US public domain. Counts are distinct declarations (a declaration affecting many counties is counted once). HazardMap is not affiliated with or endorsed by FEMA or USGS; this is general information, not safety or insurance advice. Verify with official sources.
Last updated: 2026-06-18