Natural Disasters in Estherville, IA

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

42.7

Very Low

Expected Annual Loss

48.3

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

33.6

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

67.1

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Drought96.8Cold Wave86.2Winter Weather62.8

Hazard	Risk Score
Drought	96.8
Cold Wave	86.2
Winter Weather	62.8
Hail	57.5
Tornado	43.2
Lightning	38.6
Ice Storm	36.8
Landslide	30.0
Strong Wind	28.9
Heat Wave	24.8
Wildfire	23.8
Earthquake	5.2

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

Jun 2024

Most Common Type

Flood

8 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jun 24, 2024	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADOES
Feb 23, 2022	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADOES
Mar 23, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Mar 23, 2019	Flood	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Aug 20, 2018	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING
Jul 24, 2014	Flood	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING
Jul 29, 2010	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND TORNADOES
Mar 2, 2010	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Feb 25, 2010	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND SNOWSTORM
Mar 30, 2007	Snowstorm	SNOW
Sep 10, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Jul 2, 1998	Flood	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES AND FLOODING
Jul 9, 1993	Flood	SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING
Dec 26, 1991	Severe Ice Storm	ICE STORM
Jul 12, 1991	Flood	SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING
Aug 14, 1969	Flood	HEAVY RAINS & FLOODING
Apr 25, 1969	Flood	FLOODING
Apr 22, 1965	Flood	FLOODING

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

413

Total IA Distributed

$2,026,916

Repair/Replace

$1,150,648

Rental Assistance

$13,534

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-4796	403	$1,948,224	$3,310
DR-4483	10	$78,693	—

Individual and household assistance for homeowners and renters affected by federally declared disasters.

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

Total Claims Paid

$81,089

Avg Claim Payout

$4,268

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$3,093,801

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4796	Flood	19	$1,150,390
DR-1880	Severe Storm(s)	14	$1,001,997
DR-4421	Severe Storm(s)	9	$446,282
DR-4483	Biological	6	$146,358
DR-4642	Severe Storm(s)	2	$126,118
DR-4114	Severe Storm(s)	1	$88,002
DR-1763	Severe Storm(s)	4	$51,596
DR-4126	Severe Storm(s)	1	$47,355
DR-4386	Severe Storm(s)	5	$35,702

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$280,209

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

0.05

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
600.1: Warning Systems (as a Component of a Planned, Adopted, and Exercised Risk Reduction Plan)	3	$96,077
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	2	$66,000
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	2	$91,132
91.5: Local Multijurisdictional Multihazard Mitigation Plan - UPDATE	1	$27,000

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

Estherville has a very low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are drought, cold wave, winter weather. The area has had 19 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is flood (8 declarations). 19 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $3,093,801 in public assistance recovery funding. $2,026,916 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 8 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.