Natural hazards · Malta

Malta, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Malta comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Malta?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Malta to be higher than in 21% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding53%Cold waves17%Tornadoes14%Drought8%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Malta faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Drought

8% of expected damage

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Malta flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: DeKalb County.

Disasters that hit Malta

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MaltaDeclared for DeKalb County only

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$6K to the Township of Malta for repairs

DeKalb County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and winter storms.

Around Malta

Malta and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Dementmostly inland floodingLow

DeKalbmostly inland floodingLow

Maltamostly inland floodingLow

South Grovemostly inland floodingLow

Milanmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Malta covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Malta’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Malta. 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 Malta total about $1.7M 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.