Natural hazards · Lebanon

Lebanon, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lebanon comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lebanon?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lebanon to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding36%Tornadoes23%Strong wind11%Earthquakes9%Cold waves9%Hail5%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Lebanon 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 25% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 78 years in the area

Strong wind

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hail

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce 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 Lebanon flood?

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

9paid claims since 1978

$156Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 1 claim, $10K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Marion County.

Disasters that hit Lebanon

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LebanonDeclared for Marion County only

2021

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

38 households applied for aid $38K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Tornadoes

49 households applied for aid $142K aid approved $2K to the City of Lebanon for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$82K to the City of Lebanon for repairs

Marion County has had 20 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. Lebanon covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lebanon’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lebanon. 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 Lebanon total about $2.0M 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.