Natural hazards · Otto

Otto, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Otto comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 63 claims here since 1979. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Otto?

High

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding75%Cold waves12%Tornadoes7%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Otto faces

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

Inland flooding

75% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 17% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Otto flood?

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

63paid claims since 1979

$2.1Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 2 claims, $4K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Kankakee County.

Disasters that hit Otto

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OttoDeclared for Kankakee County only

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$5K to the Township of Otto for repairs

Kankakee County has had 5 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Otto

Otto and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Aromamostly inland floodingVery high

Kankakeemostly inland floodingVery high

Ottomostly inland floodingHigh

Pilotmostly inland floodingHigh

Limestonemostly inland floodingHigh

Chebansemostly inland floodingHigh

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. Otto covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Otto’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Otto. 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 Otto total about $3.3M 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.