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Natural hazards · Manhattan

Manhattan, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Manhattan comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 225 claims here since 1984. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Manhattan?

51
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Manhattan to be higher than in 51% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding49%Tornadoes26%Heat waves8%Ice storms6%Everything else12%
By hazard

What Manhattan faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

26% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Heat waves

8% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Ice storms

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HailWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Manhattan flood?

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

225paid claims since 1984
$8.1Mpaid to owners
10homes flooded more than once
19842026

Biggest named events

  • Midwest Flooding: 97 claims, $1.1M
  • Late spring storms: 37 claims, $1.9M

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Manhattan is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Riley County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

181flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
76flood-prone homes bought out and moved
1storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Manhattan

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ManhattanDeclared for Riley County only
2019

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

$612K to the City of Manhattan for repairs
2018

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$1.4M to the City of Manhattan for repairs
2011

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

$117K to the City of Manhattan for repairs
2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$100K to the City of Manhattan for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm

$2K to the City of Manhattan for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes

$232K to the City of Manhattan for repairs
2007

Severe Winter Storms

$312K to the City of Manhattan for repairs
2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

79 households applied for aid $126K aid approved $106K to the City of Manhattan for repairs
Riley County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
Around Manhattan

Manhattan and the towns around it

Manhattan: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOgden: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBlue: High, mostly inland floodingWildcat: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOgden: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMadison: Very low, mostly tornadoesAshland: Moderate, mostly inland floodingZeandale: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGrant: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSt. George: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPottawatomie: High, mostly inland floodingGreen: High, mostly inland floodingKeats: Moderate, mostly inland floodingJefferson: High, mostly inland floodingMilford: Low, mostly tornadoesSherman: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBala: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFort Riley: Very low, mostly tornadoesSmoky Hill: Moderate, mostly tornadoesManhattan: Moderate, mostly inland flooding ManhattanManhattanOgdenBlueWildcatOgdenMadison
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Bluemostly inland floodingHigh
Ogdenmostly inland floodingModerate
Wildcatmostly inland floodingModerate
Manhattanmostly inland floodingModerate
Ogdenmostly inland floodingModerate
Manhattanmostly inland floodingModerate
Madisonmostly tornadoesVery low
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. Manhattan covers 11 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Manhattan’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Manhattan. 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 Manhattan total about $17.2M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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