Natural hazards · East Chicago

East Chicago, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in East Chicago comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 2007. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is East Chicago?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in East Chicago to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding53%Tornadoes21%Cold waves18%Everything else8%

By hazard

What East Chicago 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

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Cold waves

18% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 East Chicago flood?

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

4paid claims since 2007

$76Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20072026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 1 claim, $46K

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. East Chicago isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Lake County.

Disasters that hit East Chicago

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into East ChicagoDeclared for Lake County only

2026

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2,115 households applied for aid $2.5M aid approved

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

36 households applied for aid

2018

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2014

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$7K to the City of East Chicago for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,031 households applied for aid $854K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

134 households applied for aid $99K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

595 households applied for aid $985K aid approved

2005

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

35 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

29 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2000

Snow

$39K to the City of East Chicago for repairs

1999

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

$308K to the City of East Chicago for repairs

Lake County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around East Chicago

East Chicago and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Northmostly inland floodingModerate

East Chicagomostly inland floodingModerate

Whitingmostly inland floodingLow

Hammondmostly inland floodingLow

Calumetmostly inland floodingLow

Garymostly inland floodingLow

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. East Chicago covers 10 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to East Chicago’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of East Chicago. 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 East Chicago total about $13.8M 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.