Natural hazards · Wawaka

Wawaka, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wawaka comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wawaka?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wawaka to be higher than in 24% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding46%Tornadoes21%Strong wind9%Cold waves9%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Wawaka faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 27% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Tornadoes

21% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 26 years in the area

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Wawaka flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Noble County.

Disasters that hit Wawaka

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WawakaDeclared for Noble County only

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

18 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2005

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

Noble County has had 14 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. Wawaka 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 Wawaka’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Wawaka. 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.