Natural hazards · South Bethany

South Bethany, DE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in South Bethany comes from coastal flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 510 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is South Bethany?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in South Bethany to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from coastal flooding and inland flooding.

Coastal flooding45%Inland flooding30%Hurricanes21%Everything else5%

By hazard

What South Bethany faces

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

Coastal flooding

45% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 South Bethany flood?

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

510paid claims since 1978

$4.9Mpaid to owners

41homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 296 claims, $3.1M
Hurricane Gloria: 23 claims, $97K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. South Bethany is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Sussex County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit South Bethany

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in South Bethany itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of South Bethany.

Brought FEMA money into South BethanyDeclared for Sussex County only

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$50K to the Town of South Bethany for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$8K to the Town of South Bethany for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$3K to the Town of South Bethany for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

$9K to the Town of South Bethany for repairs

2003

Snow

$8K to the Town of South Bethany for repairs

Sussex County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

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. South Bethany covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to South Bethany’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of South Bethany. 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 South Bethany total about $2.0M 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.