Natural hazards · Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Laguna Beach comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 249 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Laguna Beach?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Laguna Beach to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes62%Inland flooding32%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Laguna Beach faces

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

Earthquakes

62% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

32% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamis

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Laguna Beach flood?

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

249paid claims since 1978

$5.5Mpaid to owners

31homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 49 claims, $671K
Winter storm: 4 claims, $269K
February California Atmospheric River: 2 claims, $17K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Laguna Beach 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Laguna Beach

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Laguna BeachDeclared for Orange County only

2017

Wildfires

36 households applied for aid

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$53K to the City of Laguna Beach for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$504K to the City of Laguna Beach for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

2 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mud and Debris Flows

$24.7M to the City of Laguna Beach for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

17 households applied for aid $37K aid approved $118K to the City of Laguna Beach for repairs

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

Around Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Dana Pointmostly inland floodingVery high

Laguna Woodsmostly inland floodingVery high

Aliso Viejomostly inland floodingHigh

Laguna Beachmostly earthquakesHigh

Laguna Niguelmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Laguna Beach covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Laguna Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Laguna Beach. 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 Laguna Beach 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.