Natural hazards · Eureka

Eureka, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Eureka comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1996. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Eureka?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Eureka to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and tsunamis.

Earthquakes68%Tsunamis17%Inland flooding9%Coastal flooding6%

By hazard

What Eureka 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 · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Tsunamis

17% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Coastal flooding

6% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesVolcanic 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 Eureka flood?

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

2paid claims since 1996

$31Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Humboldt County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Eureka

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EurekaDeclared for Humboldt County only

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$127K to the City of Eureka for repairs

Humboldt County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Eureka

Eureka and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Myrtletownmostly earthquakesVery high

Eurekamostly earthquakesVery high

Cuttenmostly earthquakesVery high

Bayviewmostly earthquakesVery high

Indianolamostly earthquakesVery high

Pine Hillsmostly 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. Eureka covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Eureka’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Eureka. 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 Eureka total about $45.7M 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.