Natural hazards · Oil Trough

Oil Trough, AR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oil Trough comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1990. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Oil Trough?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oil Trough to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding29%Tornadoes23%Earthquakes19%Ice storms8%Cold waves8%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Oil Trough faces

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

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Earthquakes

19% of expected damage

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

Ice storms

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times 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 Oil Trough flood?

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

12paid claims since 1990

$237Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19902026

Biggest named events

March storm: 5 claims, $198K

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. Oil Trough 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

2storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Oil Trough

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Oil Trough itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Oil Trough.

Brought FEMA money into Oil TroughDeclared for Independence County only

2015

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

$12K to the Town of Oil Trough for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated Flooding

3 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$8K to the Town of Oil Trough for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

32 households applied for aid $77K aid approved $45K to the Town of Oil Trough for repairs

2004

Sever Storms, Flooding and Landslides

$9K to the Town of Oil Trough for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$5K to the Town of Oil Trough 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. Oil Trough 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 Oil Trough’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Oil Trough. 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.