How many disasters are declared in ?

Updated Apr. 29, 2026Refreshed monthly
On average, two disasters are declared per year. This figure is based on the most recent 5 full years of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) data.
As of March, there has been one disaster declaration in South Dakota in 2026. In 2025, there was one declaration.
A disaster declaration is more than just recognizing an event—it's a formal request for federal aid when state, local, or tribal resources are overwhelmed. The president approves these declarations when they determine that federal support is necessary.
Declarations vary due to the type and severity of disasters, whether the president approves requests for federal assistance, and other factors.

1

disaster has been declared so far in South Dakota in 2026

1

disaster was declared in South Dakota in 2025

2

disasters have been declared yearly on average (2021–2025)
The primary two disaster declarations are major disaster and emergency.
  • A major disaster declaration applies to hurricanes, tornadoes, snowstorms, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, landslides, mudslides, droughts, explosions, and other severe natural events. These typically cause widespread damage requiring long-term recovery efforts.
  • An emergency declaration is issued when the president determines federal assistance is needed to protect lives, property, or public health and safety. Aid is capped at $5 million and is for urgent crises. These can include public health emergencies (such as COVID-19), terrorist attacks, power outages, or events related to natural disasters.
A third type of declaration, fire management, applies to managing and suppressing either a single large blaze or multiple smaller fires. While fires can also be part of major disasters or emergencies, fire management is a separate category because the declaration process differs: instead of the longer timelines for other declarations, these expedited decisions are usually made within a few hours.
The president must approve all declarations. The federal aid available depends on what kind of disaster is declared. In most cases, governors request these declarations, though tribal nations may also submit requests independently.

South Dakota declared 12 disasters in the last 5 years.

Number of disaster declarations by disaster incident type, January 1980–March 2026

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What is the most common disaster in South Dakota?

In the last 5 years, fires, floods, severe storms, and winter storms have been 12 out of the state's 12 disasters, making them the most common declaration in that time frame.
In 2020, COVID-19 accounted for five biological emergency declarations that year. States can have multiple declarations for a single disaster event: both by the state and native American tribes, and for disaster and emergency declarations.
Since 1980, severe storms have accounted for 32 (37.6%) of all disaster declarations in South Dakota, the highest of any disaster type. In that same time frame, there have been 85 total declarations across eight disaster categories.

Since 1980, there have been 95 disaster declarations in South Dakota.

Since 1980, there have been 95 disaster declarations in South Dakota.

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USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

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USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.