Natural hazards · Rector

Rector, AR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rector comes from earthquakes, 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 Rector?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rector to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes.

Earthquakes55%Cold waves12%Tornadoes9%Inland flooding8%Heat waves6%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Rector faces

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

Earthquakes

55% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 21% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

8% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 19 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Rector flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Clay County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Rector

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RectorDeclared for Clay County only

2025

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

19 households applied for aid $41K aid approved

2015

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

$10K to the City of Rector for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated Flooding

2 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$282K to the City of Rector for repairs

2008

Tropical Storm Ike

$67K to the City of Rector for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$36K to the City of Rector for repairs

Clay County has had 21 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. Rector covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rector’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Rector. 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 Rector total about $2.7M 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.