Natural hazards · San Leandro

San Leandro, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in San Leandro comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1998. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is San Leandro?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in San Leandro to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes74%Inland flooding25%Everything else1%

By hazard

What San Leandro 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 · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times 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 San Leandro flood?

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

5paid claims since 1998

$48Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $15K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $4K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. San Leandro is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Alameda County.

Disasters that hit San Leandro

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into San LeandroDeclared for Alameda County only

2023

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

$421K to the City of San Leandro for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

146 households applied for aid $272K aid approved $345K to the City of San Leandro for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$13K to the City of San Leandro for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$420K to the City of San Leandro for repairs

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

Around San Leandro

San Leandro and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

San Leandromostly earthquakesVery high

Oaklandmostly earthquakesVery high

Haywardmostly earthquakesVery high

San Lorenzomostly earthquakesVery high

Ashlandmostly earthquakesVery high

Castro Valleymostly 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. San Leandro covers 18 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to San Leandro’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of San Leandro. 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 San Leandro total about $109M 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.