Natural hazards · Independence

Independence, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Independence comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 27 claims here since 1979. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Independence?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Independence to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes49%Inland flooding35%Tornadoes5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Independence 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 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 38 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Independence flood?

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

27paid claims since 1979

$1.1Mpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Mid-summer severe storms: 15 claims, $815K
Hurricane Ida: 7 claims, $233K
Late winter severe storms: 2 claims, $37K

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. Independence isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Tangipahoa Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

11homes raised above flood level

3buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Independence

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into IndependenceDeclared for Tangipahoa Parish only

2021

Hurricane Ida

3,788 households applied for aid $8.7M aid approved $200K to the Town of Independence for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

2,455 households applied for aid $11.1M aid approved $229K to the Town of Independence for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

1,036 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $33K to the Town of Independence for repairs

2008

Hurricane Ike

358 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved

2008

Hurricane Gustav

1,033 households applied for aid $1.6M aid approved $28K to the Town of Independence for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

19 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

3,659 households applied for aid $5.6M aid approved $104K to the Town of Independence for repairs

2002

Hurricane Lili

$2K to the Town of Independence for repairs

Tangipahoa Parish has had 35 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. Independence is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Independence’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Independence. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.