Natural hazards · Visalia

Visalia, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Visalia comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 24 claims here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Visalia?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Visalia to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding65%Earthquakes21%Heat waves13%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Visalia faces

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

Inland flooding

65% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Heat waves

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Visalia flood?

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

24paid claims since 1979

$141Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 2 claims, $20K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Visalia is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Tulare County.

Disasters that hit Visalia

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into VisaliaDeclared for Tulare County only

2023

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

234 households applied for aid $335K aid approved $193K to the City of Visalia for repairs

2020

Wildfires

50 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$567K to the City of Visalia for repairs

Tulare County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

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. Visalia covers 26 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Visalia’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Visalia. 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 Visalia total about $47.1M 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.