Natural hazards · Elk

Elk, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elk comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elk?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elk to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hail.

Inland flooding42%Hail16%Tornadoes13%Strong wind11%Ice storms5%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Elk 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

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hail

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Strong wind

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Ice storms

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Winter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Elk flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cloud County.

Disasters that hit Elk

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElkDeclared for Cloud County only

2024

Severe Winter Storm

$82K to the Township of Elk for repairs

2019

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

$32K to the Township of Elk for repairs

2015

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

$38K to the Township of Elk for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$29K to the Township of Elk for repairs

Cloud County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Elk

Elk and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Elkmostly inland floodingHigh

Shirleymostly inland floodingHigh

Lawrencemostly inland floodingHigh

Elk Creekmostly hailHigh

Cliftonmostly inland floodingModerate

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