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Natural hazards · Waipahu

Waipahu, HI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waipahu comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2008. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Waipahu?

98
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waipahu to be higher than in 98% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding89%Earthquakes9%Everything else3%
By hazard

What Waipahu faces

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

Inland flooding

89% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamis

Not a risk here

Winter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesDroughtAvalanchesVolcanic 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 Waipahu flood?

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

1paid claims since 2008
$23Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
20082026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Waipahu isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Honolulu County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Waipahu

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaipahuDeclared for Honolulu County only
2026

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

30 households applied for aid $114K aid approved
2018

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

22 households applied for aid $65K aid approved
Honolulu County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and hurricanes.
Around Waipahu

Waipahu and the towns around it

West Loch Estate: Very high, mostly inland floodingWaikele: Very high, mostly inland floodingRoyal Kunia: Very high, mostly inland floodingEast Kapolei: Very high, mostly inland floodingEwa Gentry: Very high, mostly inland floodingWaipio: Very high, mostly inland floodingKapolei: Very high, mostly inland floodingEwa Villages: Very high, mostly inland floodingWaipahu: Very high, mostly inland flooding WaipahuWest Loch EstateWaikeleRoyal KuniaEast Kapolei
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Waipahumostly inland floodingVery high
Royal Kuniamostly inland floodingVery high
East Kapoleimostly inland floodingVery high
Waikelemostly inland floodingVery high
West Loch Estatemostly inland floodingVery 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. Waipahu covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Waipahu’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Waipahu. 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 Waipahu total about $18.8M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/19 · 2025-01-01
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