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Natural hazards · LaBelle

LaBelle, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in LaBelle comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1982. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is LaBelle?

72
High
vs. U.S. communities

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

Hurricanes48%Inland flooding20%Cold waves10%Wildfire9%Everything else13%
By hazard

What LaBelle faces

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

Hurricanes

48% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

20% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Wildfire

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Ice stormsWinter weatherAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 LaBelle flood?

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

3paid claims since 1982
$14Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19822026

Biggest named events

  • The 'No-Name Storm': 1 claim, $2K
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. LaBelle isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Hendry County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2buildings retrofitted against wind
Disasters that hit LaBelle

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LaBelleDeclared for Hendry County only
2024

Hurricane Milton

450 households applied for aid $100K aid approved
2022

Hurricane Ian

2,436 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved $417K to the City of LaBelle for repairs
2017

Hurricane Irma

3,724 households applied for aid $2.0M aid approved $241K to the City of LaBelle for repairs
2008

Tropical Storm Fay

103 households applied for aid $26K aid approved
2005

Hurricane Wilma

1,064 households applied for aid $692K aid approved $78K to the City of LaBelle for repairs
2004

Hurricane Jeanne

138 households applied for aid $162K aid approved
2004

Hurricane Frances

58 households applied for aid $70K aid approved
2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

68 households applied for aid $91K aid approved
Hendry County has had 30 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.
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. LaBelle is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to LaBelle’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of LaBelle. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.

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