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FEMADR-1247-PRMajor disasterDeclared September 24, 1998

DR-1247-PR: Puerto Rico Hurricane Georges - 18 Sep 98

FEMA made a major disaster declaration for Puerto Rico (DR-1247-PR) on September 24, 1998 for the incident of September 20, 1998 to October 27, 1998; it covers 79 designated areas.

The declaration

Declaration
DR-1247-PR (also written FEMA-1247-DR)
Type
Major disaster declaration
State
Puerto Rico
Incident
Hurricane: Hurricane Georges - 18 Sep 98
Incident period
September 20, 1998 to October 27, 1998
Declared
September 24, 1998
Programs declared
Individual Assistance (the older program, flagged until 2008), Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation
FEMA region
2
Place in the year
the only major disaster declaration for Puerto Rico in 1998
Status
closed out on October 23, 2017

Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). Data as of September 29, 2026.

Which areas are covered, and for what?

Designated areaIndividuals and HouseholdsIndividual Assistance (older program)Public AssistanceHazard Mitigation
Adjuntas (Municipio)—YesYes—
Aguada (Municipio)—YesYes—
Aguadilla (Municipio)—YesYes—
Aguas Buenas (Municipio)—YesYes—
Aibonito (Municipio)—YesYes—
Anasco (Municipio)—YesYes—
Arecibo (Municipio)—YesYes—
Arroyo (Municipio)—YesYes—
Barceloneta (Municipio)—YesYes—
Barranquitas (Municipio)—YesYes—
Bayamon (Municipio)—YesYes—
Cabo Rojo (Municipio)—YesYes—
Caguas (Municipio)—YesYes—
Camuy (Municipio)—YesYes—
Canovanas (Municipio)—YesYes—
Carolina (Municipio)—YesYes—
Catano (Municipio)—YesYes—
Cayey (Municipio)—YesYes—
Ceiba (Municipio)—YesYes—
Ciales (Municipio)—YesYes—
Cidra (Municipio)—YesYes—
Coamo (Municipio)—YesYes—
Comerio (Municipio)—YesYes—
Corozal (Municipio)—YesYes—
Culebra (Municipio)—YesYes—
Dorado (Municipio)—YesYes—
Fajardo (Municipio)—YesYes—
Florida (Municipio)—YesYes—
Guanica (Municipio)—YesYes—
Guayama (Municipio)—YesYes—
Guayanilla (Municipio)—YesYes—
Guaynabo (Municipio)—YesYes—
Gurabo (Municipio)—YesYes—
Hatillo (Municipio)—YesYes—
Hormigueros (Municipio)—YesYes—
Humacao (Municipio)—YesYes—
Isabela (Municipio)—YesYes—
Jayuya (Municipio)—YesYes—
Juana Diaz (Municipio)—YesYes—
Juncos (Municipio)—YesYes—
Lajas (Municipio)—YesYes—
Lares (Municipio)—YesYes—
Las Marias (Municipio)—YesYes—
Las Piedras (Municipio)—YesYes—
Loiza (Municipio)—YesYes—
Luquillo (Municipio)—YesYes—
Manati (Municipio)—YesYes—
Maricao (Municipio)—YesYes—
Maunabo (Municipio)—YesYes—
Mayaguez (Municipio)—YesYes—
Moca (Municipio)—YesYes—
Morovis (Municipio)—YesYes—
Naguabo (Municipio)—YesYes—
Naranjito (Municipio)—YesYes—
Orocovis (Municipio)—YesYes—
Patillas (Municipio)—YesYes—
Penuelas (Municipio)—YesYes—
Ponce (Municipio)—YesYes—
Quebradillas (Municipio)—YesYes—
Rincon (Municipio)—YesYes—
Rio Grande (Municipio)—YesYes—
Sabana Grande (Municipio)—YesYes—
Salinas (Municipio)—YesYes—
San German (Municipio)—YesYes—
San Juan (Municipio)—YesYes—
San Lorenzo (Municipio)—YesYes—
San Sebastian (Municipio)—YesYes—
Santa Isabel (Municipio)—YesYes—
Statewide—YesYesYes
Toa Alta (Municipio)—YesYes—
Toa Baja (Municipio)—YesYes—
Trujillo Alto (Municipio)—YesYes—
Utuado (Municipio)—YesYes—
Vega Alta (Municipio)—YesYes—
Vega Baja (Municipio)—YesYes—
Vieques (Municipio)—YesYes—
Villalba (Municipio)—YesYes—
Yabucoa (Municipio)—YesYes—
Yauco (Municipio)—YesYes—

An area can be added to a declaration after the first day, or have a program added: this table is FEMA's current list.

Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). Data as of September 29, 2026.

How much has FEMA approved?

$220.7 millionHazard Mitigation Grant Program obligated

Individual assistance figures as of n/a. FEMA updates both as applications are decided.

Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2); FEMA, OpenFEMA FEMA Web Disaster Summaries (v1). Data as of September 29, 2026.

Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). Data as of September 29, 2026.

FEMA's page for this declaration

FEMA's own page for this declaration is fema.gov/disaster/1247. AreaZine is not FEMA and cannot answer questions about an application.