Natural Disasters in Palo Alto, CA

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

99.7

Very High

Expected Annual Loss

99.8

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

17.2

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

72.6

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Earthquake99.9Landslide99.7Drought99.2

Hazard	Risk Score
Earthquake	99.9
Landslide	99.7
Drought	99.2
Heat Wave	98.6
Wildfire	97.4
Coastal Flood	88.8
Tornado	55.8
Lightning	46.9
Hail	37.5
Tsunami	18.5
Volcanic Activity	15.0
Avalanche	13.0
Strong Wind	9.4
Winter Weather	3.1

Scores range from 0 (lowest risk) to 100 (highest risk) relative to all U.S. communities. Data from FEMA National Risk Index.

Disaster Declarations

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA

Total Declarations

Most Recent

Severe Storm

Apr 2023

Most Common Type

Severe Storm

6 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Apr 3, 2023	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Mar 10, 2023	Flood	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Jan 14, 2023	Flood	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Jan 9, 2023	Flood	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, FLOODING, AND MUDSLIDES
Aug 22, 2020	Fire	WILDFIRES
Aug 21, 2020	Fire	SCU LIGTNING COMPLEX FIRE
Mar 22, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Apr 1, 2017	Flood	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, FLOODING, AND MUDSLIDES
Feb 14, 2017	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, FLOODING, AND MUDSLIDES
Jun 28, 2008	Fire	WILDFIRES
May 22, 2008	Fire	SUMMIT FIRE
Sep 13, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Sep 25, 2002	Fire	CROY FIRE
Feb 9, 1998	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND FLOODING
Jan 4, 1997	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, MUD AND LANDSLIDES
Mar 12, 1995	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, FLOODING LANDSLIDES, MUD FLOW
Jan 10, 1995	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, MUD FLOWS
Feb 11, 1991	Freezing	SEVERE FREEZE
Oct 18, 1989	Earthquake	LOMA PRIETA EARTHQUAKE

Showing 20 of 25 declarations

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

1,630

Total Claims Paid

$24,608,736

Avg Claim Payout

$15,097

County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$497,717,689

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

403

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4482	Biological	163	$462,033,421
DR-4308	Flood	70	$11,002,424
DR-4301	Severe Storm(s)	42	$10,827,728
DR-4683	Severe Storm(s)	86	$8,295,184
DR-4558	Wildfire	11	$2,630,902
DR-4699	Severe Storm(s)	15	$1,939,653
DR-1628	Severe Storm(s)	6	$461,259
DR-4158	Fire	5	$263,051
DR-3248	Hurricane	2	$247,518
DR-3287	Fire	1	$11,193
DR-3140	Fire	1	$3,349
DR-1646	Severe Storm(s)	1	$2,005

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$18,993,856

Properties Protected

869

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

8.34

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
205.6: Structural Retrofitting/Rehabilitating Public Structures - Seismic	19	$10,991,472
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	2	$336,724
601.2: Generators - Regular	1	$0
205.4: Non Structural Retrofitting/Rehabilitating Public Structures - Seismic; 205.6: Structural Retrofitting/Rehabilitating Public Structures - Seismic	1	$2,720,383
91.5: Local Multijurisdictional Multihazard Mitigation Plan - UPDATE	1	$164,532

Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.

Palo Alto has a very high overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are earthquake, landslide, drought. The area has had 25 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is severe storm (6 declarations). 1,630 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $497,717,689 in public assistance recovery funding. 31 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.