Natural hazards · El Cerrito

El Cerrito, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in El Cerrito comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 15 claims here since 1982. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is El Cerrito?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in El Cerrito to be higher than in 88% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes82%Inland flooding17%Everything else2%

By hazard

What El Cerrito faces

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

Earthquakes

82% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

17% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamisVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesDroughtAvalanches

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 El Cerrito flood?

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

15paid claims since 1982

$124Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

Winter storm: 2 claims, $8K
California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $4K

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. El Cerrito isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Contra Costa County.

Disasters that hit El Cerrito

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into El CerritoDeclared for Contra Costa County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

21 households applied for aid $74K aid approved

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$177K to the City of El Cerrito for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

2 households applied for aid

Contra Costa County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around El Cerrito

El Cerrito and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Albanymostly earthquakesVery high

Richmondmostly earthquakesVery high

El Cerritomostly earthquakesVery high

Kensingtonmostly 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. El Cerrito covers 10 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to El Cerrito’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of El Cerrito. 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 El Cerrito total about $22.4M 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.