Natural hazards · Carmi

Carmi, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Carmi comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 37 claims here since 1978. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Carmi?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Carmi to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes44%Inland flooding30%Tornadoes11%Heat waves5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Carmi faces

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

Earthquakes

44% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Carmi flood?

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

37paid claims since 1978

$412Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 8 claims, $170K
Central U.S. April Flooding: 2 claims, $72K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: White County.

Disasters that hit Carmi

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CarmiDeclared for White County only

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$8K to the Township of Carmi for repairs

2004

Record/Near Record Snow

$4K to the Township of Carmi for repairs

White County has had 8 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and tornadoes.

Around Carmi

Carmi and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Burnt Prairiemostly earthquakesHigh

Hawthornemostly earthquakesHigh

Phillipsmostly earthquakesHigh

Carmimostly earthquakesHigh

Enfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Heralds Prairiemostly earthquakesHigh

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. Carmi covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Carmi’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Carmi. 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 Carmi total about $4.5M 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.