Natural hazards · Sullivan

Sullivan, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sullivan comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sullivan?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sullivan to be higher than in 39% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding36%Earthquakes25%Tornadoes15%Cold waves8%Strong wind7%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Sullivan faces

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

Inland flooding

36% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

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

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Sullivan flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Sullivan County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

22storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Sullivan

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SullivanDeclared for Sullivan County only

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

188 households applied for aid $1.0M aid approved $1.1M to the City of Sullivan for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$10K to the City of Sullivan for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

71 households applied for aid $141K aid approved $4K to the City of Sullivan for repairs

2005

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2004

Snow

$3K to the City of Sullivan for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$37K to the City of Sullivan for repairs

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