Natural hazards · Selma

Selma, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Selma comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 88 claims here since 1979. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Selma?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Selma to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding59%Tornadoes16%Earthquakes7%Heat waves5%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Selma faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Selma flood?

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

88paid claims since 1979

$1.3Mpaid to owners

7homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isaac: 2 claims, $58K
Hurricane Georges: 1 claim, $20K
Hurricane Francine: 1 claim, $21K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Dallas County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

15storm safe rooms built

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Selma

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SelmaDeclared for Dallas County only

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

2,789 households applied for aid $4.2M aid approved $7.8M to the City of Selma for repairs

2020

Hurricane Zeta

1,626 households applied for aid $2.0M aid approved $664K to the City of Selma for repairs

2020

Severe Storms and Flooding

$59K to the City of Selma for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

$150K to the City of Selma for repairs

2011

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

16 households applied for aid $7K aid approved $2K to the City of Selma for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

42 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$17K to the City of Selma for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

4,006 households applied for aid $3.4M aid approved $178K to the City of Selma for repairs

Dallas County has had 23 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. Selma covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Selma’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Selma. 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 Selma total about $7.5M 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.