Natural hazards · Erath

Erath, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Erath comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 659 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Erath?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Hurricanes49%Inland flooding31%Cold waves8%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Erath faces

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

Hurricanes

49% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce 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 Erath flood?

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

659paid claims since 1978

$24.4Mpaid to owners

90homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Rita: 270 claims, $13.7M
Hurricane Ike: 166 claims, $5.2M
Tropical Storm Allison: 87 claims, $1.6M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (21) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Vermilion Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

79homes raised above flood level

16flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Erath

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ErathDeclared for Vermilion Parish only

2021

Hurricane Ida

1 household applied for aid

2020

Hurricane Delta

221 households applied for aid $239K aid approved $128K to the Town of Erath for repairs

2020

Hurricane Laura

281 households applied for aid $271K aid approved $29K to the Town of Erath for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

346 households applied for aid $480K aid approved $42K to the Town of Erath for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

$3K to the Town of Erath for repairs

2008

Hurricane Ike

797 households applied for aid $897K aid approved $8K to the Town of Erath for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

796 households applied for aid $209K aid approved $31K to the Town of Erath for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

3,090 households applied for aid $13.3M aid approved $238K to the Town of Erath for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

17 households applied for aid $24K aid approved $4K to the Town of Erath for repairs

2002

Hurricane Lili

$28K to the Town of Erath for repairs

2001

Tropical Storm Allison

$2K to the Town of Erath for repairs

Vermilion Parish has had 33 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. Erath covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Erath’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Erath. 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 Erath total about $2.2M 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.