Natural hazards · Central

Central, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Central comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,869 claims here since 1995. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Central?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Central to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding62%Tornadoes15%Hurricanes12%Cold waves6%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Central faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 83 years in the area

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Central flood?

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

1,869paid claims since 1995

$192Mpaid to owners

102homes flooded more than once

19952026

Biggest named events

Mid-summer severe storms: 1,818 claims, $190M
Hurricane Delta: 12 claims, $546K
Hurricane Gustav: 4 claims, $288K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (40) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Central is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: East Baton Rouge Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Central

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CentralDeclared for East Baton Rouge Parish only

2024

Hurricane Francine

$94K to the City of Central for repairs

2021

Hurricane Ida

49 households applied for aid $17K aid approved $1.1M to the City of Central for repairs

2020

Hurricane Delta

$244K to the City of Central for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

224 households applied for aid $1.7M aid approved $6.3M to the City of Central for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

1 household applied for aid $256K to the City of Central for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

2 households applied for aid $1.3M to the City of Central for repairs

East Baton Rouge Parish has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Central

Central and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Denham Springsmostly inland floodingVery high

Centralmostly inland floodingVery high

Monticellomostly inland floodingVery high

Zacharymostly inland floodingVery high

Brownfieldsmostly inland floodingHigh

St. Georgemostly 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. Central covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Central’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Central. 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 Central total about $24.1M 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.