Natural hazards · Lavaca

Lavaca, AR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lavaca comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 2015. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lavaca?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lavaca to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding49%Tornadoes13%Heat waves12%Cold waves8%Wildfire6%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Lavaca faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 23 years in the area

Heat waves

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about 25 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Wildfire

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Lavaca flood?

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

8paid claims since 2015

$543Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20152026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 1 claim, $77K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Sebastian County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

12storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Lavaca

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LavacaDeclared for Sebastian County only

2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

26 households applied for aid $121K aid approved $44K to the City of Lavaca for repairs

2015

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

11 households applied for aid $17K aid approved

2013

Severe Winter Storm

$15K to the City of Lavaca for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

19 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$5K to the City of Lavaca for repairs

Sebastian County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Lavaca 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 Lavaca’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lavaca. 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.