Natural hazards · Colton

Colton, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Colton comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1983. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Colton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Colton to be higher than in 98% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes60%Inland flooding38%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Colton faces

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

Earthquakes

60% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Colton flood?

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

8paid claims since 1983

$129Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19832026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Colton 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 Bernardino County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Colton

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ColtonDeclared for San Bernardino County only

2023

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

17 households applied for aid $600 aid approved

2020

Wildfires

12 households applied for aid

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$40K to the City of Colton for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

11 households applied for aid $90 aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

17 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $15K to the City of Colton for repairs

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

67 households applied for aid $40K aid approved

San Bernardino County has had 56 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Colton

Colton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Loma Lindamostly earthquakesVery high

Coltonmostly earthquakesVery high

San Bernardinomostly earthquakesVery high

Grand Terracemostly earthquakesVery high

Rialtomostly 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. Colton covers 14 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Colton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Colton. 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 Colton total about $63.6M 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.