Natural hazards · Orinda

Orinda, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Orinda comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 29 claims here since 1993. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Orinda?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Earthquakes54%Inland flooding40%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Orinda 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 96% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Orinda flood?

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

29paid claims since 1993

$747Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19932026

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

Insurance rates: Contra Costa County.

Disasters that hit Orinda

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OrindaDeclared for Contra Costa County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

66 households applied for aid $304K aid approved $781K to the City of Orinda for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$460K to the City of Orinda for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

17 households applied for aid $37K aid approved $26K to the City of Orinda for repairs

Contra Costa County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Orinda

Orinda and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lafayettemostly inland floodingVery high

Orindamostly earthquakesVery high

Moragamostly 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. Orinda covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

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