Natural hazards · Whittier

Whittier, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Whittier comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Whittier?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Whittier to be higher than in 88% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes67%Inland flooding31%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Whittier faces

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

Earthquakes

67% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Whittier flood?

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

6paid claims since 1979

$18Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $4K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Whittier isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Los Angeles County.

Disasters that hit Whittier

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WhittierDeclared for Los Angeles County only

2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

328 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

26 households applied for aid

2018

Wildfires

2 households applied for aid

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

1 household applied for aid

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$16K to the City of Whittier 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

$68K to the City of Whittier for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

39 households applied for aid $25K aid approved $228K to the City of Whittier for repairs

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

10 households applied for aid

Los Angeles County has had 74 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Whittier

Whittier and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

South Whittiermostly earthquakesVery high

West Whittier-Los Nietosmostly earthquakesVery high

Santa Fe Springsmostly earthquakesVery high

Hacienda Heightsmostly earthquakesVery high

Whittiermostly earthquakesVery high

East Whittiermostly earthquakesVery high

Pico Riveramostly earthquakesVery high

La Habra Heightsmostly 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. Whittier covers 20 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Whittier’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Whittier. 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 Whittier total about $49.0M 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.