Natural hazards · Bell

Bell, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bell comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bell?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Earthquakes93%Inland flooding6%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Bell faces

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

Earthquakes

93% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

6% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 2% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bell flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Los Angeles County.

Disasters that hit Bell

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BellDeclared for Los Angeles County only

2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

10 households applied for aid

2023

Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$5K to the City of Bell for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

3 households applied for aid $900 aid approved

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

1 household applied for aid $327 aid approved

Los Angeles County has had 74 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Bell

Bell and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Vernonmostly earthquakesVery high

Bell Gardensmostly earthquakesVery high

Commercemostly earthquakesVery high

Huntington Parkmostly earthquakesVery high

Bellmostly earthquakesVery high

Maywoodmostly earthquakesVery high

Cudahymostly 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. Bell covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bell’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Bell. 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 Bell total about $10.9M 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.