FEMADR-1459-MSMajor disasterDeclared April 24, 2003
DR-1459-MS: Mississippi Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Floods
FEMA made a major disaster declaration for Mississippi (DR-1459-MS) on April 24, 2003 for the incident of April 6, 2003 to April 25, 2003; it covers 31 designated areas. FEMA had approved $18.3 million for 9,408 households through the Individuals and Households Program (as of October 1, 2026) and obligated $6.0 million in Public Assistance (as of May 17, 2026).
The declaration
- Declaration
- DR-1459-MS (also written FEMA-1459-DR)
- Type
- Major disaster declaration
- State
- Mississippi
- Incident
- Severe Storm: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Floods
- Incident period
- April 6, 2003 to April 25, 2003
- Declared
- April 24, 2003
- Programs declared
- Individuals and Households, Individual Assistance (the older program, flagged until 2008), Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation
- FEMA region
- 4
- Place in the year
- the first of 2 major disaster declarations for Mississippi in 2003
- Status
- closed out on November 13, 2013
- Registration deadline (individual help)
- June 23, 2003
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). Data as of September 29, 2026.
Which areas are covered, and for what?
| Designated area | Individuals and Households | Individual Assistance (older program) | Public Assistance | Hazard Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amite (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Attala (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Claiborne (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Clarke (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Copiah (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Franklin (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Hinds (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Holmes (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Issaquena (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Jasper (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Jefferson (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Jefferson Davis (County) | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Kemper (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lauderdale (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lawrence (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Leake (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lincoln (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Madison (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Marion (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Neshoba (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Newton (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pearl River (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Pike (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Rankin (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Scott (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Simpson (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Smith (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Walthall (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Warren (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wayne (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Yazoo (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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?
9,408households approved for help (IHP)
$18.3 millionIndividuals and Households Program approved
$7.7 millionof it for housing
$10.6 millionof it for other needs
$6.0 millionPublic Assistance obligated
$815,503Hazard Mitigation Grant Program obligated
Individual assistance figures as of October 1, 2026, public assistance as of May 17, 2026. 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.
FEMA's page for this declaration
FEMA's own page for this declaration is fema.gov/disaster/1459. AreaZine is not FEMA and cannot answer questions about an application. Registration for individual help closed on June 23, 2003.