Natural hazards · Bridge

Bridge, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bridge comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 444 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bridge?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bridge to be higher than in 93% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes83%Inland flooding8%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Bridge faces

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

Hurricanes

83% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

8% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 5% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce 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 Bridge flood?

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

444paid claims since 1978

$4.8Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Katrina: 48 claims, $1.4M
Hurricane Isaac: 8 claims, $51K
Tropical Storm Barry: 7 claims, $310K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Bridge

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BridgeDeclared for Jefferson Parish only

2024

Hurricane Francine

42 households applied for aid $92K aid approved

2021

Hurricane Ida

819 households applied for aid $1.9M aid approved

2020

Hurricane Zeta

15 households applied for aid $13K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Isaac

383 households applied for aid $220K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Ike

17 households applied for aid $836 aid approved

2008

Hurricane Gustav

628 households applied for aid $127K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

3 households applied for aid $246 aid approved

2005

Hurricane Rita

136 households applied for aid $83K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

1,145 households applied for aid $4.3M aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

4 households applied for aid

Jefferson Parish has had 37 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Bridge

Bridge and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Westwegomostly hurricanesVery high

Avondalemostly hurricanesVery high

New Orleansmostly hurricanesVery high

Jeffersonmostly hurricanesVery high

Bridge Citymostly hurricanesVery high

Elmwoodmostly hurricanesVery high

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. Bridge covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bridge’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Bridge. 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 Bridge total about $4.0M 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.