Natural hazards · De Queen

De Queen, AR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in De Queen comes from ice storms, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2017. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is De Queen?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in De Queen to be higher than in 83% of U.S. communities, mostly from ice storms and inland flooding.

Ice storms38%Inland flooding25%Tornadoes12%Heat waves5%Everything else20%

By hazard

What De Queen faces

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

Ice storms

38% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 18 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 De Queen flood?

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

2paid claims since 2017

$77Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20172026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Sevier County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit De Queen

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into De QueenDeclared for Sevier County only

2015

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

38 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $33K to the City of De Queen for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

38 households applied for aid $416K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$34K to the City of De Queen for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$314K to the City of De Queen for repairs

Sevier County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and tornadoes.

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. De Queen covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to De Queen’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of De Queen. 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 De Queen total about $3.1M 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.