Natural hazards · Elba

Elba, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elba comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 426 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elba?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elba to be higher than in 76% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding63%Hurricanes20%Tornadoes10%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Elba faces

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

Inland flooding

63% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 14 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Elba flood?

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

426paid claims since 1979

$16.2Mpaid to owners

41homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Alberto: 51 claims, $391K
Early winter storms: 46 claims, $1.7M
Hurricane Opal: 2 claims, $985

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Coffee County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

245flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

16storm safe rooms built

3flood-prone homes bought out and moved

2homes raised above flood level

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Elba

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElbaDeclared for Coffee County only

2020

Hurricane Sally

$240K to the City of Elba for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$933K to the City of Elba for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

$51K to the City of Elba for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes & Straight-Line

$38K to the City of Elba for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

3 households applied for aid

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$7K to the City of Elba for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

187 households applied for aid $218K aid approved $57K to the City of Elba for repairs

Coffee County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

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. Elba is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.