Natural hazards · Sesser

Sesser, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sesser comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sesser?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sesser to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes34%Inland flooding27%Cold waves16%Tornadoes9%Heat waves6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Sesser faces

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

Earthquakes

34% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

27% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 21% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 27 years in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Sesser flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

Disasters that hit Sesser

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SesserDeclared for Franklin County only

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $43K aid approved $7K to the City of Sesser for repairs

2004

Record/Near Record Snow

$5K to the City of Sesser for repairs

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

Around Sesser

Sesser and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Sessermostly earthquakesHigh

Goodemostly earthquakesHigh

Barrenmostly 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. Sesser 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 Sesser’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sesser. 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.