Natural hazards · Montezuma

Montezuma, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Montezuma comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1991. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Montezuma?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Montezuma to be higher than in 61% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding51%Cold waves16%Tornadoes10%Strong wind6%Drought5%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Montezuma faces

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

Inland flooding

51% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 18 years in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Drought

5% of expected damage

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Montezuma flood?

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

6paid claims since 1991

$57Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19912026

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

Insurance rates: Parke County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

23flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Montezuma

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MontezumaDeclared for Parke County only

2014

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$3K to the Town of Montezuma for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

6 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $6K to the Town of Montezuma for repairs

2007

Snow

$2K to the Town of Montezuma for repairs

2005

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $24K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$16K to the Town of Montezuma for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $12K to the Town of Montezuma for repairs

1999

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

$1K to the Town of Montezuma for repairs

Parke County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter 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. Montezuma 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 Montezuma’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Montezuma. 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.