Natural hazards · Chula Vista

Chula Vista, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chula Vista comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 16 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chula Vista?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chula Vista to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding53%Earthquakes39%Wildfire6%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Chula Vista faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

39% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Wildfire

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtTsunamis

Not a risk here

Ice stormsCold wavesAvalanchesVolcanic 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 Chula Vista flood?

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

16paid claims since 1978

$222Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19782026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Chula Vista 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 Chula Vista

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Chula VistaDeclared for San Diego County only

2024

Severe Storm and Flooding

137 households applied for aid $87K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

79 households applied for aid

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

3 households applied for aid

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$1.3M to the City of Chula Vista for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

86 households applied for aid $795 aid approved $145K to the City of Chula Vista for repairs

2005

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

$34K to the City of Chula Vista for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

16 households applied for aid $11K aid approved

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

23 households applied for aid $153 aid approved $75K to the City of Chula Vista for repairs

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

Around Chula Vista

Chula Vista and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bonitamostly inland floodingVery high

National Citymostly earthquakesHigh

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. Chula Vista covers 51 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chula Vista’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Chula Vista. 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 Chula Vista total about $62.0M 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.