Natural hazards · Bellflower

Bellflower, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bellflower comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1983. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bellflower?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bellflower to be higher than in 87% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes71%Inland flooding28%

By hazard

What Bellflower faces

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

Earthquakes

71% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% 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 Bellflower flood?

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

5paid claims since 1983

$27Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 2 claims, $2K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Bellflower 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 Bellflower

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BellflowerDeclared for Los Angeles County only

2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

254 households applied for aid $129K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

27 households applied for aid

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

1 household applied for aid

2008

Wildfires

4 households applied for aid $527 aid approved

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

24 households applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

78 households applied for aid $40K aid approved

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

227 households applied for aid $24K aid approved

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

Around Bellflower

Bellflower and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Norwalkmostly earthquakesVery high

Lakewoodmostly earthquakesVery high

Cerritosmostly earthquakesVery high

Bellflowermostly earthquakesVery high

Paramountmostly earthquakesVery high

Downeymostly earthquakesVery high

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. Bellflower covers 18 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bellflower’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Bellflower. 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 Bellflower total about $34.3M 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.