Natural hazards · Richmond

Richmond, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richmond comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 36 claims here since 1982. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Richmond?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Earthquakes74%Inland flooding23%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Richmond faces

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

Earthquakes

74% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

23% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtTsunamisVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Richmond flood?

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

36paid claims since 1982

$343Kpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 2 claims, $12K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Richmond 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 Richmond

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RichmondDeclared for Contra Costa County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

139 households applied for aid $136K aid approved $221K to the City of Richmond for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$9.0M to the City of Richmond for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

50 households applied for aid $18K aid approved $136K to the City of Richmond for repairs

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

Around Richmond

Richmond and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pinolemostly inland floodingVery high

North Richmondmostly earthquakesVery high

San Rafaelmostly earthquakesVery high

Albanymostly earthquakesVery high

Richmondmostly earthquakesVery high

El Sobrantemostly earthquakesVery high

Montalvin Manormostly earthquakesVery high

Bayviewmostly earthquakesVery high

El Cerritomostly earthquakesVery high

East Richmond Heightsmostly earthquakesVery high

Tara Hillsmostly earthquakesVery high

San Franciscomostly earthquakesVery high

Kensingtonmostly 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. Richmond covers 23 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Richmond’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Richmond. 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 Richmond total about $99.1M 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.