Natural hazards · Imperial

Imperial, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Imperial comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Imperial?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Earthquakes74%Inland flooding24%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Imperial faces

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

Earthquakes

74% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

24% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesLandslidesAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Imperial flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Imperial.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Imperial County.

Disasters that hit Imperial

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ImperialDeclared for Imperial County only

2023

Tropical Storm Hilary

$37K to the City of Imperial for repairs

2010

Earthquake

$461K to the City of Imperial for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$13K to the City of Imperial for repairs

Imperial County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

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. Imperial is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Imperial’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Imperial. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.