Natural hazards · Berwick

Berwick, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Berwick comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 82 claims here since 1978. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Berwick?

92
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Berwick to be higher than in 92% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes72%Inland flooding10%Tornadoes9%Everything else10%
By hazard

What Berwick faces

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

Hurricanes

72% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

10% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 13% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Berwick flood?

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

82paid claims since 1978
$1.1Mpaid to owners
11homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Mid-spring storms: 9 claims, $203K
  • Hurricane Francine: 4 claims, $73K
  • Hurricane Lili: 3 claims, $21K

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. Berwick isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: St. Mary Parish.
Disasters that hit Berwick

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BerwickDeclared for St. Mary Parish only
2024

Hurricane Francine

573 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $345K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
2021

Hurricane Ida

774 households applied for aid $424K aid approved $236K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
2019

Hurricane Barry

$96K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
2019

Flooding

$3K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
2015

Flooding

$8K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
2012

Hurricane Isaac

90 households applied for aid $115K aid approved $28K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
2011

Flooding

$41K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
2008

Hurricane Ike

56 households applied for aid $80K aid approved $68K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
2008

Hurricane Gustav

549 households applied for aid $674K aid approved $297K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
2005

Hurricane Rita

510 households applied for aid $344K aid approved $46K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
2005

Hurricane Katrina

250 households applied for aid $244K aid approved $59K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
2002

Hurricane Lili

$12K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
2002

Tropical Storm Isidore

$5K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
2001

Tropical Storm Allison

$6K to the Town of Berwick for repairs
St. Mary Parish has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.
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. Berwick covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Berwick’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Berwick. 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 Berwick total about $5.0M 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.

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