Natural hazards · Oakland

Oakland, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oakland comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 103 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Oakland?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oakland to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes81%Inland flooding18%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Oakland faces

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

Earthquakes

81% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtTsunamisVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsCold wavesAvalanches

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 Oakland flood?

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

103paid claims since 1978

$655Kpaid to owners

8homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 10 claims, $273K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 9 claims, $46K

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

Insurance rates: Alameda County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Oakland

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OaklandDeclared for Alameda County only

2023

Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$1.6M to the City of Oakland for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

1,022 households applied for aid $2.6M aid approved $2.1M to the City of Oakland for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$1.9M to the City of Oakland for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$3.3M to the City of Oakland for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$1.3M to the City of Oakland for repairs

Alameda County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Oakland

Oakland and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Alamedamostly earthquakesVery high

San Leandromostly earthquakesVery high

Oaklandmostly earthquakesVery high

Berkeleymostly earthquakesVery high

South San Franciscomostly earthquakesVery high

Haywardmostly earthquakesVery high

Emeryvillemostly earthquakesVery high

Castro Valleymostly earthquakesVery high

Brisbanemostly 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. Oakland covers 116 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Oakland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Oakland. 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 Oakland total about $523M 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.