Natural hazards · Indian Wells

Indian Wells, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Indian Wells comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 54 claims here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Indian Wells?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Indian Wells to be higher than in 99% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding77%Earthquakes23%

By hazard

What Indian Wells faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

23% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Indian Wells flood?

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

54paid claims since 1978

$3.8Mpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Hilary: 1 claim, $1K

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

Insurance rates: Riverside County.

Disasters that hit Indian Wells

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Indian WellsDeclared for Riverside County only

2023

Tropical Storm Hilary

$3.8M to the City of Indian Wells for repairs

2019

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$574K to the City of Indian Wells for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$91K to the City of Indian Wells for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$63K to the City of Indian Wells for repairs

Riverside County has had 61 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Indian Wells

Indian Wells and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Indian Wellsmostly inland floodingVery high

Palm Desertmostly inland floodingVery high

La Quintamostly inland floodingVery 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. Indian Wells covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Indian Wells’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Indian Wells. 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 Indian Wells total about $22.6M 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.