FEMADR-1490-NCMajor disasterDeclared September 18, 2003
DR-1490-NC: North Carolina Hurricane Isabel
FEMA made a major disaster declaration for North Carolina (DR-1490-NC) on September 18, 2003 for the incident of September 18, 2003 to September 26, 2003; it covers 49 designated areas. FEMA had approved $45.4 million for 25,950 households through the Individuals and Households Program (as of October 1, 2026) and obligated $70.9 million in Public Assistance (as of May 17, 2026).
The declaration
- Declaration
- DR-1490-NC (also written FEMA-1490-DR)
- Type
- Major disaster declaration
- State
- North Carolina
- Incident
- Hurricane: Hurricane Isabel
- Incident period
- September 18, 2003 to September 26, 2003
- Declared
- September 18, 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 second of 2 major disaster declarations for North Carolina in 2003
- Status
- closed out on September 11, 2014
- Registration deadline (individual help)
- December 8, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaufort (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bertie (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bladen (County) | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Brunswick (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Camden (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Carteret (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chowan (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Columbus (County) | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Craven (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cumberland (County) | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Currituck (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dare (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Davidson (County) | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Duplin (County) | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Durham (County) | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians | — | — | — | Yes |
| Edgecombe (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Franklin (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gates (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Granville (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Greene (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Halifax (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Harnett (County) | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Hertford (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hyde (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Johnston (County) | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Jones (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lenoir (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Martin (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nash (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New Hanover (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Northampton (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Onslow (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Orange (County) | — | — | Yes | — |
| Pamlico (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pasquotank (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pender (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Perquimans (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Person (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pitt (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Robeson (County) | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Sampson (County) | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Tyrrell (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vance (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wake (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| Warren (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Washington (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wayne (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wilson (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?
25,950households approved for help (IHP)
$45.4 millionIndividuals and Households Program approved
$23.1 millionof it for housing
$22.3 millionof it for other needs
$70.9 millionPublic Assistance obligated
$4.7 millionHazard 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.
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/1490. AreaZine is not FEMA and cannot answer questions about an application. Registration for individual help closed on December 8, 2003.