Natural hazards · Jamaica

Jamaica, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jamaica comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Jamaica?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jamaica to be higher than in 61% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding37%Tornadoes24%Drought24%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Jamaica faces

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

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

24% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Drought

24% of expected damage

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Jamaica flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Jamaica.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Guthrie County.

Disasters that hit Jamaica

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JamaicaDeclared for Guthrie County only

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $7K aid approved $29K to the City of Jamaica for repairs

2007

Snow

$3K to the City of Jamaica for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

Guthrie County has had 15 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. Jamaica 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 Jamaica’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Jamaica. 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.

Jamaica, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Jamaica?

What Jamaica faces

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Drought

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Jamaica flood?

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Snow

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby