Natural hazards · Santa Ana

Santa Ana, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Santa Ana comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 184 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Santa Ana?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Santa Ana to be higher than in 87% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes69%Inland flooding30%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Santa Ana faces

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

Earthquakes

69% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Santa Ana flood?

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

184paid claims since 1978

$1.2Mpaid to owners

7homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 29 claims, $62K
Winter storm: 4 claims, $43K

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

Insurance rates: Orange County.

Disasters that hit Santa Ana

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Santa AnaDeclared for Orange County only

2017

Wildfires

100 households applied for aid $500 aid approved

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$450K to the City of Santa Ana for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$9K to the City of Santa Ana for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

3 households applied for aid

2005

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

$47K to the City of Santa Ana for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

21 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

Orange County has had 36 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Santa Ana

Santa Ana and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Tustinmostly inland floodingVery high

Orangemostly earthquakesVery high

Irvinemostly inland floodingVery high

Santa Anamostly earthquakesVery high

Garden Grovemostly earthquakesVery high

Costa Mesamostly earthquakesVery high

Fountain 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. Santa Ana covers 53 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Santa Ana’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Santa Ana. 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 Santa Ana total about $154M 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.