Natural hazards · Bonita

Bonita, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bonita comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1980. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bonita?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding75%Earthquakes20%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Bonita faces

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

Inland flooding

75% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bonita flood?

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

10paid claims since 1980

$96Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

San Diego Flooding: 2 claims, $52K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $6K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: San Diego County.

Disasters that hit Bonita

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BonitaDeclared for San Diego County only

2024

Severe Storm and Flooding

36 households applied for aid $33K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

7 households applied for aid

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

6 households applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

15 households applied for aid $26K aid approved

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

2 households applied for aid

San Diego County has had 44 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Bonita

Bonita and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bonitamostly inland floodingVery high

National Citymostly earthquakesHigh

La Presamostly inland floodingHigh

San Diegomostly earthquakesHigh

Chula Vistamostly inland floodingHigh

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. Bonita covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bonita’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Bonita. 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 Bonita total about $10.4M 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.