Natural hazards · Harrisburg

Harrisburg, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Harrisburg comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 2011. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Harrisburg?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Harrisburg to be higher than in 77% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes50%Inland flooding21%Tornadoes8%Cold waves7%Strong wind6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Harrisburg faces

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

Earthquakes

50% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

21% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Harrisburg flood?

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

6paid claims since 2011

$208Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20112026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 2 claims, $43K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Saline County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

16flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Harrisburg

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HarrisburgDeclared for Saline County only

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

44 households applied for aid $323K aid approved $152K to the City of Harrisburg for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$36K to the City of Harrisburg for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$21K to the City of Harrisburg for repairs

2004

Record/Near Record Snow

$14K to the City of Harrisburg for repairs

Saline County has had 7 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

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. Harrisburg covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Harrisburg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Harrisburg. 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 Harrisburg total about $7.0M 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.