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Natural hazards · West Memphis

West Memphis, AR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Memphis comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 652 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is West Memphis?

86
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Memphis to be higher than in 86% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes53%Inland flooding28%Heat waves5%Cold waves5%Tornadoes5%Everything else4%
By hazard

What West Memphis faces

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

Earthquakes

53% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places
Recorded about 23 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

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 West Memphis flood?

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

652paid claims since 1979
$10.8Mpaid to owners
69homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Mid-spring storms: 65 claims, $1.9M
  • Central U.S. April Flooding: 25 claims, $2.1M
  • Late winter severe storms: 3 claims, $16K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (26) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. West Memphis is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Crittenden County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

19flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
3storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit West Memphis

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into West MemphisDeclared for Crittenden County only
2025

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

612 households applied for aid $2.7M aid approved $79K to the City of West Memphis for repairs
2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated Flooding

1,517 households applied for aid $2.5M aid approved $611K to the City of West Memphis for repairs
2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

21 households applied for aid $20K aid approved
2001

Severe Storms and Flooding

$53K to the City of West Memphis for repairs
2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$203K to the City of West Memphis for repairs
Crittenden County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and tornadoes.
Around West Memphis

West Memphis and the towns around it

Marion: Very high, mostly earthquakesMemphis: High, mostly earthquakesClarkedale: Very high, mostly earthquakesGermantown: High, mostly inland floodingBartlett: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLakeland: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSouthaven: Moderate, mostly earthquakesOlive Branch: Moderate, mostly earthquakesWest Memphis: Very high, mostly earthquakes West MemphisMarionMemphis
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
West Memphismostly earthquakesVery high
Marionmostly earthquakesVery high
Memphismostly earthquakesHigh
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. West Memphis covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to West Memphis’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of West Memphis. 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 West Memphis total about $21.2M 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.

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