Natural hazards · National

National, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in National comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 42 claims here since 1979. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is National?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in National to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes54%Inland flooding44%Everything else2%

By hazard

What National faces

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

Earthquakes

54% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtTsunamis

Not a risk here

Ice stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireAvalanchesVolcanic 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 National flood?

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

42paid claims since 1979

$4.1Mpaid to owners

8homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

San Diego Flooding: 15 claims, $3.2M
California Atmospheric River: 2 claims, $41K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 2 claims, $3K

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

Insurance rates: San Diego County.

Disasters that hit National

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NationalDeclared for San Diego County only

2024

Severe Storm and Flooding

398 households applied for aid $2.2M aid approved

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$114K to the City of National for repairs

2020

Wildfires

11 households applied for aid

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$25K to the City of National for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

6 households applied for aid

2005

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

$30K to the City of National for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

3 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

7 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $5K to the City of National for repairs

San Diego County has had 44 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around National

National and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bonitamostly inland floodingVery high

National Citymostly earthquakesHigh

San Diegomostly earthquakesHigh

Chula Vistamostly 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. National covers 12 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to National’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of National. 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 National total about $15.8M 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.