Natural hazards · Newark

Newark, AR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Newark comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Newark?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Newark to be higher than in 80% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding26%Earthquakes24%Tornadoes22%Cold waves9%Ice storms6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Newark faces

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

Inland flooding

26% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

24% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Ice storms

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherHeat 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 Newark flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Newark.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Independence County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Newark

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NewarkDeclared for Independence County only

2017

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

$25K to the City of Newark for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated Flooding

1 household applied for aid $793 aid approved

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$17K to the City of Newark for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $24K to the City of Newark for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$8K to the City of Newark for repairs

1999

Ar Severe Weather 1-21-99

$88K to the City of Newark for repairs

Independence County has had 26 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. Newark 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 Newark’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Newark. 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.