Natural hazards · Indianola

Indianola, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Indianola comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1980. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Indianola?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Indianola to be higher than in 17% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding40%Tornadoes23%Heat waves8%Cold waves8%Strong wind7%Drought6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Indianola faces

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

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 24% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 81 years in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Drought

6% of expected damage

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Indianola flood?

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

9paid claims since 1980

$221Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Storm: 2 claims, $53K
March 2019 Midwest Flooding: 2 claims, $25K
Late spring storms: 1 claim, $37K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Warren County.

Disasters that hit Indianola

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into IndianolaDeclared for Warren County only

2018

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

$88K to the City of Indianola for repairs

2015

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

$113K to the City of Indianola for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

109 households applied for aid $168K aid approved $218K to the City of Indianola for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

143 households applied for aid $216K aid approved $46K to the City of Indianola for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storm

$176K to the City of Indianola for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

Warren County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Indianola covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Indianola’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Indianola. 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 Indianola total about $5.2M 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.

Indianola, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Indianola?

What Indianola faces

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Heat waves

Cold waves

Strong wind

Drought

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Indianola flood?

Biggest named events

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

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

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Winter Storm

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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