Natural hazards · Carson

Carson, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Carson comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 21 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Carson?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Earthquakes68%Inland flooding31%

By hazard

What Carson faces

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

Earthquakes

68% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Carson flood?

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

21paid claims since 1978

$72Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 4 claims, $14K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Carson 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 Carson

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CarsonDeclared for Los Angeles County only

2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

324 households applied for aid $213K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

20 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2018

Wildfires

2 households applied for aid

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

1 household applied for aid

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$32K to the City of Carson for repairs

2008

Wildfires

7 households applied for aid $300 aid approved

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

14 households applied for aid

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mud and Debris Flows

$13K to the City of Carson for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

230 households applied for aid $86K aid approved $21K to the City of Carson for repairs

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

128 households applied for aid $22K aid approved

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

Around Carson

Carson and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Los Angelesmostly earthquakesVery high

Long Beachmostly earthquakesVery high

West Carsonmostly earthquakesVery high

Comptonmostly earthquakesVery high

West Rancho Dominguezmostly earthquakesVery high

Carsonmostly 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. Carson covers 22 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Carson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Carson. 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 Carson total about $82.8M 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.