Natural hazards · Jena

Jena, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jena comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1987. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Jena?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jena to be higher than in 52% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding50%Heat waves13%Tornadoes11%Hurricanes8%Strong wind6%Cold waves5%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Jena faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about 22 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 30 years in the area

Hurricanes

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 14 years in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Jena flood?

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

8paid claims since 1987

$541Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19872026

Biggest named events

Late winter severe storms: 1 claim, $212K
Hurricane Delta: 1 claim, $195K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: La Salle Parish.

Disasters that hit Jena

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JenaDeclared for La Salle Parish only

2021

Severe Winter Storms

21 households applied for aid $31K aid approved

2020

Hurricane Laura

759 households applied for aid $237K aid approved

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

55 households applied for aid $57K aid approved $20K to the Town of Jena for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

211 households applied for aid $145K aid approved $52K to the Town of Jena for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $13K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Rita

$11K to the Town of Jena for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$50K to the Town of Jena for repairs

La Salle Parish has had 28 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. Jena 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 Jena’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Jena. 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.

Jena, LA natural hazards

How exposed is Jena?

What Jena faces

Inland flooding

Heat waves

Tornadoes

Hurricanes

Strong wind

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Jena flood?

Biggest named events

Homes that flooded again and again

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Winter Storms

Hurricane Laura

Severe Storms and Flooding

Hurricane Gustav

Severe Storms and Flooding

Hurricane Rita

Hurricane Katrina

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby