Natural hazards · Sebastian

Sebastian, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sebastian comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 34 claims here since 1979. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sebastian?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sebastian to be higher than in 97% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes78%Inland flooding16%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Sebastian faces

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

Hurricanes

78% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

16% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Sebastian flood?

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

34paid claims since 1979

$790Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Jeanne: 17 claims, $587K
Hurricane Frances: 4 claims, $112K
Tropical Storm Fay: 2 claims, $5K

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

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Sebastian is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Indian River County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4buildings retrofitted against wind

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Sebastian

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SebastianDeclared for Indian River County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

615 households applied for aid $581K aid approved $352K to the City of Sebastian for repairs

2022

Hurricane Nicole

6 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $45K to the City of Sebastian for repairs

2022

Hurricane Ian

135 households applied for aid $193K aid approved $148K to the City of Sebastian for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$31K to the City of Sebastian for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

2,075 households applied for aid $693K aid approved $524K to the City of Sebastian for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

169 households applied for aid $48K aid approved $1.5M to the City of Sebastian for repairs

2005

Hurricane Wilma

184 households applied for aid $163K aid approved $213K to the City of Sebastian for repairs

2004

Hurricane Jeanne

6,064 households applied for aid $6.6M aid approved $1.9M to the City of Sebastian for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

64 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Frances

5,137 households applied for aid $3.8M aid approved $1.2M to the City of Sebastian for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley

38 households applied for aid $21K aid approved

1999

Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-Req

$50K to the City of Sebastian for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$42K to the City of Sebastian for repairs

Indian River County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.

Around Sebastian

Sebastian and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Sebastianmostly hurricanesVery high

Roselandmostly hurricanesVery high

Wabassomostly hurricanesVery 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. Sebastian covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sebastian’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sebastian. 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 Sebastian total about $12.1M 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.