Natural hazards · Berne

Berne, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Berne comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1998. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Berne?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Berne to be higher than in 13% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding42%Tornadoes26%Strong wind12%Earthquakes6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Berne faces

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 12% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Strong wind

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Berne flood?

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

5paid claims since 1998

$201Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19982026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Adams County.

Disasters that hit Berne

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BerneDeclared for Adams County only

2007

Snow

$4K to the City of Berne for repairs

2005

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $816 aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

56 households applied for aid $163K aid approved $16K to the City of Berne for repairs

1999

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

$3K to the City of Berne for repairs

Adams County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.

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. Berne covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Berne’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Berne. 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 Berne total about $1.0M 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.