Natural hazards · Kenai

Kenai, AK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Kenai comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1995. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Kenai?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Kenai to be higher than in 96% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes.

Earthquakes94%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Kenai faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Earthquakes

94% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Lower here

Inland floodingCoastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesTornadoesHeat wavesStrong windDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Kenai flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Kenai, from FEMA’s records.

1paid claims since 1995

$1Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19952026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Kenai isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Kenai Peninsula Borough.

Disasters that hit Kenai

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Kenai itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Kenai.

Brought FEMA money into KenaiDeclared for Kenai Peninsula Borough only

2018

Earthquake

54 households applied for aid $125K aid approved

2013

Flooding

$109K to the City of Kenai for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$27K to the City of Kenai for repairs

2003

Severe Winter Storm, Including High Winds and Freezing Temperatures

29 households applied for aid $28K aid approved

2002

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Coastal Erosion and Tidal Surge

1 household applied for aid

1999

Severe Winter Storms and Avalanches

$29K to the City of Kenai for repairs

Kenai Peninsula Borough has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Kenai

Kenai and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Kenaimostly earthquakesVery high

Kalifornskymostly earthquakesVery high

Salamatofmostly earthquakesVery high

Ridgewaymostly earthquakesVery high

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Kenai covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Kenai’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Kenai. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Kenai total about $14.0M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.