Natural hazards · La Palma

La Palma, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in La Palma comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is La Palma?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in La Palma to be higher than in 91% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes53%Inland flooding47%

By hazard

What La Palma faces

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

Earthquakes

53% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

47% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 La Palma flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Orange County.

Disasters that hit La Palma

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into La PalmaDeclared for Orange County only

2017

Wildfires

5 households applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

4 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

Orange County has had 36 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around La Palma

La Palma and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Buena Parkmostly earthquakesVery high

La Palmamostly earthquakesVery high

Cerritosmostly earthquakesVery high

Cypressmostly earthquakesVery high

Lakewoodmostly 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. La Palma covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to La Palma’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of La Palma. 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 La Palma total about $11.3M 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.