Natural hazards · Van Buren

Van Buren, AR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Van Buren comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 33 claims here since 1993. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Van Buren?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Van Buren to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding46%Heat waves17%Tornadoes16%Ice storms6%Cold waves6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Van Buren faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 24 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Ice storms

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Van Buren flood?

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

33paid claims since 1993

$1.0Mpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19932026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 2 claims, $7K
Mid-spring storms: 2 claims, $2K
Spring storm: 2 claims, $11K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Van Buren is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Crawford County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

36storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Van Buren

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Van BurenDeclared for Crawford County only

2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

15 households applied for aid $63K aid approved $436K to the City of Van Buren for repairs

2015

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

72 households applied for aid $64K aid approved $257K to the City of Van Buren for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm

$49K to the City of Van Buren for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated Flooding

23 households applied for aid $45K aid approved $16K to the City of Van Buren for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2,213 households applied for aid $466K aid approved $328K to the City of Van Buren for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$161K to the City of Van Buren for repairs

Crawford County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Van Buren

Van Buren and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Van Burenmostly inland floodingHigh

Fort Smithmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Van Buren covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Van Buren’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Van Buren. 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 Van Buren total about $7.7M 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.