Natural hazards · Iola

Iola, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Iola comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 65 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Iola?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding44%Tornadoes14%Heat waves10%Strong wind9%Cold waves8%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Iola faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Iola flood?

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

65paid claims since 1979

$2.4Mpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Thunderstorms: 50 claims, $1.8M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Iola is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Allen County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

126flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

4storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Iola

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into IolaDeclared for Allen County only

2023

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

$273K to the City of Iola for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm

$12K to the City of Iola for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

265 households applied for aid $2.4M aid approved $3.4M to the City of Iola for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $804 to the City of Iola for repairs

2002

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$261K to the City of Iola for repairs

Allen County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Iola

Iola and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Iolamostly inland floodingVery high

Bassettmostly inland floodingVery high

Iolamostly 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. Iola covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Iola’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Iola. 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 Iola total about $1.9M 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.