Natural hazards · Welaka

Welaka, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Welaka comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 2004. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Welaka?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Welaka to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding49%Hurricanes28%Tornadoes8%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Welaka faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

28% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 19 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailCold 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 Welaka flood?

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

13paid claims since 2004

$356Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20042026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irma: 11 claims, $332K
Hurricane Milton: 1 claim, $14K
Hurricane Jeanne: 1 claim, $10K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Putnam County.

Disasters that hit Welaka

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WelakaDeclared for Putnam County only

2024

Hurricane Milton

62 households applied for aid $129K aid approved

2024

Hurricane Helene

19 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2022

Hurricane Nicole

11 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2022

Hurricane Ian

91 households applied for aid $40K aid approved $99K to the Town of Welaka for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

229 households applied for aid $222K aid approved $70K to the Town of Welaka for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

18 households applied for aid $11K aid approved $14K to the Town of Welaka for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

$25K to the Town of Welaka for repairs

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

$4K to the Town of Welaka for repairs

2004

Hurricane Jeanne

97 households applied for aid $122K aid approved $40K to the Town of Welaka for repairs

2004

Hurricane Frances

127 households applied for aid $139K aid approved $351K to the Town of Welaka for repairs

2001

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding Associated With Tropical Storm Gabrielle

$64K to the Town of Welaka for repairs

Putnam County has had 32 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes 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. Welaka 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 Welaka’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Welaka. 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.